Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Friday, January 27, 2012

Felting my Friendships

I chose to spend the afternoon with a friend, yesterday. It was a wonderful visit. She lives in town and her home is one of those beautiful old Victorians that line the hills, up behind Main St., in Jackson.
She slipped on some ice during the holidays and did some major damage to her ankle. She has been in a cast ever since. Now, she is in a black boot and will go back into a cast again next week for another month. The ankle is not healing well and another cast is required.
I tell you this because my very active, giving friend who does for so much for others and never stops moving, has handled this accident with her usual optimistic self. I'm in awe of someone who can weather a fall like this, pick herself up  and continue to be the positive, glass half full person that she always is.
Even with the complications that have arisen, she is still thinking ahead to trips she wants to take next year and getting a walking cast on, next week, so she doesn't have to sleep downstairs with the cats and maneuver the narrow passageways of her charming home in a wheel chair anymore. She needs to get back to buying groceries for a house bound friend of hers and volunteering at one of the local thrift stores.
I'm sure she has had a few "Oh, @#*&!" moments but she is a trooper and I'm so proud of her.
So, I took cake... and magazines... and small gifts, etc. hoping to lighten her spirits, There was really no need. She greeted me, in her wheel chair, like she had just come in from working in the garden. We had deli sandwiches ... and we talked, talked, talked... laughed and talked some more... until it was time for me to head back to the highway, pick up the mail and drive home. The visit did us both good. It always does.
I left her in good hands. She has a  husband that takes good care of her and treats her like a queen.
So I'm telling you this because...?
Life is long (or short, depending on how you perceive it) and "@#*&!" happens. None of us is going to get out this alive, so we need to make the best of it.  We can play games, whine about our bad luck, carry grudges and complain about life, but... have you talked to other folks lately?
Everyone is having problems. They all have "thorns" in their sides...Some even have large knife wounds.
 My friend could have been bitter, angry and blameful about all this, but she wasn't. I'm sure she wishes that she hadn't gone out on that icy old balcony. I'm sure that she wishes the ankle would heal faster. But, she isn't being "why me?" about it. She's waiting and hoping and making plans for the future. All that positive energy has got to accelerate the healing process.
I'm convinced that life is, in large part, about attitude and expectations and.... looking at the good things in life, so you have this deep well of good thoughts and ideas to carry you through the times of drought and fire.

"The world is full of cactus, but we don't have to sit on it.  ~Will Foley
My friend never sits in her "cacti". Well... she is sitting a lot at the moment, but she's looking ahead of all this. She is an example to me of how to weather a storm. She's an example to us all.

*********************
So today is "finish a felted scarf" day. Here are some choices. What do you think?
 This is the scarf. A combination of gray wool and a taupe, mystery yarn. I had no idea how it would turn out. I have a huge amount of it that I got at one of the thrift stores and ... wait. I do have some with a wrapper on it.  It's SPINNERIN 100% wool yarn called Suzanne. That's why it worked so well. I used it continuously with the gray wool yarn but in two places I dropped the gray wool and used only the "Suzanne" yarn. After I felted it the taupe yarn tighten up and looked much better. The gray combination felted really well. I'm very please with the results.
So, now I'm ready to embellish.
 Buttons? (with dog hair underneath... how embarrassing.)
A shell from the Pacific Ocean?
A different button? There's that dog hair again. I think I felted the hair right into the scarf. Maybe I could make it my trademark... Corgiwool, scarves from the dogfarm.
Some antique lace?
Old lace... and a button?
Or the ruffled edge of the "cute" shirt I bought at the thrift store. Remember the shirt made out of gray jersey with ruffles? What do you think? It's hard to get the colors true, here on the post, but you can get an idea. There are so many possibilities. Maybe lace is too lightweight for this scarf. I'm not sure. Maybe it needs to be a heavier lace... or none.
I would really like your input.
**********************************
Today I'm on to brighter possibilities...
When my sister was here we went to Amador City, my favorite little gold rush town. I bought this yarn at Sandy's Country Home store. She dyes and spins this yarn herself. It's so beautiful. It's a bit harder to knit with because it goes from thick to thin and felts up very thick... but I can't wait to use it.
Oh, yum!
**************************


On my afternoon walk a few days ago, I thought that I would love to find some yarn that looked like the oak trees with their bright moss, tiny ferns and lichen growing on them.... Looking like they were going to a party, with the help of the rain and some northern exposure, and getting all dolled up for the occasion.
 I would love some yarn that looks like this...
or this...
Or possibly a softer green like the new grass that is coming up on the trail.
Think I can find some yarn that looks like this? Think I can wear a California Winter around my neck?

9 comments:

  1. I vote the "old lace and a button", 2nd picture up from the bottom. The lace is heavy enough and the button looks right with it!

    I appreciated your insight on how we can view life. I am incredibly lucky and try to remember this every day. We are all going to die eventually and the only thing we will take with us are our memories. The only real thing we'll leave that matters is love.

    I pray that when I am gone, what I've left in the hearts of my loved ones is sunshine and hope.

    Thank you for reminding us of what is most important!

    Have a beautiful weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  2. oo i like either of the buttons...and love the moral to your friends story as well...we might as well enjoy the ride...we are all in it together and yes we all have our dings...

    ReplyDelete
  3. I feel as if I was visiting your friend too, your description of her and her amazing attitude were so real. She probably know this, but ice at night to take the swelling down is such a huge help.
    I have no business giving my opinion because I dont knit, but because of the color, I think a few of those buttons that look as if they are made from bone/or ivory might work on your scarf?

    The pictures of the countryside are so beautiful Connie. Love those pathways that lead off as they look so full of possibilities.
    xx
    julie

    ReplyDelete
  4. At this time in my life this post help me enormously. My husband has been diagnoised with leukemia. He will start chemo treatments next week. It was quite a shock but I am trying to keep positive. We have had a good life with good health up until the last two years. So I would appreciate it if you would remember him in your prayers. Your scarfs are very pretty. Have a blessed evening. Madeline

    ReplyDelete
  5. There you go again, making people care about yarn and buttons and cactus spines :) on your bright and shiny blog. Thanks, dear.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I found your blog tonight from Range to Range. Beautiful scarf! I like the buttons. I love the yarn you bought at Sandy's. It's bright and beautiful.
    My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 Melanoma in July. He's still with us, and staying optimistic. It's a wonderful thing to be able to witness the positive attitude that he has. And his stubborn personality. I like your cactus quote!
    ~~Lori

    ReplyDelete
  7. If you feel a great need to embellish your beautiful scarf, I agree with Poppy on the lace and button. I like the naturalness look of the shell but it looked a little heavy to my eye. Why not talk to your friend Sandy that spins and dyes her yarn about dying some of her yarn for your California winter scarf? I'll bet if she saw your photos she could come up with a green...

    I took a fall just this last Friday and landed on my knee and was moaning and groaning around this morning... but after reading about your friend I'm working on an attitude adjustment. At least I didn't break anything and that is something to be very thankful for at my age... Thank you for sharing.

    Helen

    ReplyDelete
  8. C I love this post! You don't have to sit on your cacti! I love that!!! In the country we might say it a little more crudly like being such a crab you act like you have a blah up yer blah....much nicer your little sayin. Point made about being the light! Jesus tells us to be the light of the world! Your friend sounds wonderful and I think your visit was more needed and appreciated than you say.
    LOVE the scarf! Liked all the ideas and the colorful yarn is amazing. MY new pup Sammy SHEDS. His hair is everywhere I pulled a curly hair out of my bottom eye lid the other day! So much for him wanting to sleep on my pillow. GAH.
    Love the pictures and the trees, the colors and everything!!! Right now we have California weather and I nearly go mad wanting to move back.
    It's so great to cool off!
    Lime is one of my favorite colors. It always has been. MY first sewing project in 8th grade was a shift made out of solid lime green broadcloth. Everyone thought I was nuts. I liked it.
    All those colors around your place are just insane. So much beauty!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I vote for the old lace and button scarf! How lovely it looks together.
    I must say, you're the kind of friend who's a treasure to have around.

    ReplyDelete

Please leave a comment here.
I love to hear what you think about my blog. Feel free to speak your mind. Please be honest.., but remember your manners.