Episode 17 More Memories
We remember two great spirits we lost in the past few weeks--Connie Morrison, Bossy's beloved mother-in-law, and our Uncle Harold, who managed to keep up with his wife, the indomitable Aunt Betty. Connie was a wonderful knitter and never failed to keep all six of her children and husband warm in hand-knitted sweaters every year, not to mention baby blankets for her 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. She left many to remember her, and she embodied all of the best qualities of a fine knitter--warmth, kindness, generosity, productivity and a wit as sharp as her needles!
Uncle Harold never missed an opportunity to embrace the moment, whether that was sporting buffalo horns or helping Bossy's son climb up the rocks in the Black Hills of South Dakota. He has joined Aunt Betty in the great beyond where their spirits soar on the wings of eagles.
Loss is such a hard thing--we all search for signs of connection, in Bossy's case, it's always signs from birds. Sharing memories helps to come to terms with grief, but we can also find solace in poetry, in knowing that we are all connected through our common experience, in the feelings of grief beautifully captured in the words of others. In that spirit, we offer this poem from the 11th-century Spanish poet and physician Yehuda Halevi:
"Tis a Fearful Thing
"Tis a fearful thing
To love what death can touch.
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A fearful thing
To love, to hope, to dream, to be--
To be,
And oh, to lose.
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A thing for fools, this,
And a holy thing,
A holy thing to love.
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For your life has lived in me,
Your laugh once lifted me,
Your word was gift to me.
To remember this brings painful joy.
'Tis a human thing, love,
A holy thing, to love
What death has touched.
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--Yehuda Halevi
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Aunt Betty, Uncle Harold and Connie, your lives lived in us, your laughter lifted us, and your words were gift to us--to remember this brings joy, but also the pain of grief in knowing these things will only live now in our memories. Rest in peace.
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Bossy and Bootie made it to Whidbey Island! Here we are at Deception Pass, a beautiful park that is well worth a stop. We saw two eagles flying directly overhead, which we felt was our Aunt Betty and Dad. Bossy would like to state for the record that she is actually taller than Bootie.
Bootie knit the Spring Sorrel sweater by Wool & Pine, using Grey Drizzle Merina Storm in Emerald. Since it's a cropped sweater with short sleeves, in a small size (for her daughter), it only took a little over 2 skeins of yarn.
Bootie accidentally felted the Lemon Spritz she made for herself and now it fits her daughter! She will be trying again. The pattern was Marie Greene's 4 day KAL and the yarn was Treasure Goddess Yarn Bamboo linen Treasures in Kiss from a Mermaid held with a strand of Silk Treasures Lace in White Sand Beach.
In case you were wondering what happens to your abandoned craft projects, they can be found at the rear back corner of Second Hand Booty! For the record, bootie did score some beautiful tie dyed fabric which she recently used as a tablecloth.
And whatever you do, don’t knit like my sister!
