sunday and....

a year ago or so
i began to knit again
adrianna's august birthdate
was my motivation
sweaters to knit
for the first grandchild

last year
passed
sometimes
with the speed of weaving
sometimes
with the speed of knitting

six or seven sweaters done
for the munchkin-to-be


then i turned my attention
to hats
a different challenge
two hats for the munchkin
hats for friends who are battling cancer
hats for my niece and grandniece
hats for friends who are simply
friends
and finally a hat for me

i understand now,
the concept of how to knit a hat!

next challenge
and this one has been a challenge
mittens!
over the last three weeks
i have knit
and un-knit
measured
finished
and then
un-knit again
these two simple handcoverings

my patience has been tested
my eyes crossed and uncrossed
as i picked up the tiny stitches

the length is good on the second
needs to redone on the first
the thumb space is wrong on the first
need unravel, again, the thumb on the first

i am quite confident
that by the time i finish
these mittens
i will understand
how
to
knit
a mitten
or two

garden

winter
still holds
the garden
hostage

snow
no longer
pristine white
beaten down
a dirty coat
sullied by dogs

garden waits
waits
waits for
release

morning wanders

still in jammies
i know i know
not being a "grown up"
who showered fluffed
and zipped out the door
to make their mark on
the world
or at least
to generate cash
to pay the bills

just made a soup
slowly camelized a sweet onion
shredded white potatoes, carrots
added a sweet one, as well
added garlic, of course
as well as a bit of ginger

had an organic veggie broth,
whose flavor does not quite scintillate
added the last of the spaghetti sauce
a bit of red wine
and a dollop of white corn kernels

it sits
it simmers
while my
mind wanders
this thursday day

winter's thoughts

i feel winter's shadow
sitting my shoulder
not as heavy
as in year's past

still
it's there
and yet
am almost pensive
at sun's slow return
to longer days

it seems
we should have
longer nights now
as winter's cold
moves into our bones

full wolf moon....

Full Wolf Moon--
so named by the Native Peoples
of the northeast for the howling done
by hungry wolves in
dead winter.

dead winter
why consider winter
to be dead?
cold holds
the earth
cold surrounds
my home
cold permeates
my studio

i dress in layers
undershirts
turtlenecks
sweatshirts
socks on toes
that hope not be
chilled

i walk the garden

crunching snow
scooping the dogs' gifts"
glancing at
the brown skeletal
remains of

last year's growth

and as i wander
i sense the quiet
the peace that comes
within this resting season
knowing
that unseen forces play
below
cells divide slowly
waiting for the warmth
knowing they are alive
simply waiting
knowing the cold is
but a passing thing

sunday sun a day.....

two weeks into this new year
two weeks
two odd weeks
for myself and
others that i know

weird happenstances
a certain degree of
chaos
containable
but still
chaos all the same

sunday morning's almost done
saturday was spent
not on the computer as planned
but cleaning this home
stripping the bed
washing drying folding
seeking to find order amid the chaos

this moment now
a chicken roasts
with glaze of red wine, honey, brown mustard
and red rasberry jam
surrounded by carrots, onion and potatoes
cats sleep
dogs wander
and my day waits to continue

friday had a special treat
went over to my niece tasha's
to bring cameron to school
dylan, the almost two year old was prancing around
clad in blue and white striped pj's,
with red elmo slippers on his feet
he was corralled
plunked in high chair
for his morning repast
so sweet.....

the garden this morning

the garden this morning

white black brown

with flashes of red

cardinals

dashing round

dogs black blurs