I'm not sure if this falls into the realm of pointless crafting or not? Is there such a thing? My fancy was greatly tickled when I came upon a pattern for knitted olives ages ago. As I delved into my wool roving last night, deciding what to do while watching The Kite Runner, I discovered I had just the right colours to be able to needle-felt some of these babies. Husband gave me that look, you know, the "uuuuuuummmmmm, okaaaaaaay, interesting project dear" look. But he's happy to have his jar of olives sitting on his desk. And they make me happy too - not so pointless after all;-)
I made real preserves yesterday too. Pickled Gherkins from the one plant in our garden.
Some more thoughts. I was recently accused of being "holier than thou" because I hold passionate concerns for people and issues outside the four walls of my white, middle-class, privileged suburban existence - apparently I should be worrying about the "in crowd" or something instead. (I have never been "in" in my life, so it seems pointless to start worrying about it half way through!)
I don't think a shift in perspective ever hurts those of us who live in a similarly blessed situation. Some physical shifts that our family find challenging and encouraging:
* Rob, Rach and the gang on a most amazing family adventure (miss you guys)
* Rae and her posse keeping it real in India (colour our family green with envy)
My contribution to World Peace today? Making felt donuts for my three future peace-makers...what better than to fill their little Love Tanks to overflowing while sharing with them about the blessing and responsibility their young lives carry.
In the place of big resolutions or life changes there has been a weeny bit of simple consideration of who we are and what we do as a family. Perhaps I overstate this a bit. Frankly, I've stumbled into 2009 wondering why it's not still November 2008!I've been intrigued by some discussion in the blogisphere around the notion that we only show the most polished, "perfect" parts of our lives to the world. I don't consider this to be dishonest - it's natural to self-censor all aspects of our lives - no-one is a totally open book. But I wonder - is there a subtle pressure "out there" to be the greeniest, crunchiest, thoughtfulest, world events awarest, craftiest, knittiest, domesticatediest, homeschooliest Mama out there - complete with stunning photos? While revealing a tiny glimpse of the things that I'm truely passionate about do I neglect to show the frayed edges of my life? Surely those frayed, messy, poor grammar, untidy, dirty, disorganised, grumpy, resentful, yelling, neglectful, selfish, garden-gone-to-seed bits are a part of the whole for me and my family?I might have another thought or three in a couple of days, or I might be selfishly trying to get my socks finished, or I might be reading to my kids, or I might be trying to hide from my kids, or I might be weeding my garden, or I might be lying around daydreaming, or I might be pickling my gherkins, or I might be needle-felting something pretty to look at, or I might be reading something from my continually breeding book pile, or I might be watching Coronation Street, or I might be reading a trashy magazine, or I might be looking confused wondering how it is already the middle of January...
Happy New Year! No new resolutions at my place. It'll just be more of the same in 2009.
I'm knitting through the last of some cotton given to me by a friend. Everyone needs a Mitred Hand Towel to button onto something in their kitchen;-)
I love my handknitted dishcloths! This is a great mindless project.
Do you know how difficult it is to take a decent picture of socks on your own feet, on a gloomy day, without revealing quite how hairy your legs are? Or one of your oven that hasn't seen a decent clean in too long? The dishcloth picture doesn't reveal the pile of dishes on the bench or the feral children shrieking for biscuits in the middle of a toy-plosion in the lounge.
