Spirit Cloth

The magic birth of pots

As the man landed in Turkey, there was a bit more fresh snow here.  But then some sun and a bit of melting.

My impression  was the vessels  were being born of white.   But then noticing they might seem to be appearing or disappearing, I began to consider birth  from both sides.  At which point I said "either one".

I bumped into basket self while stitching away today on WhiteNess.  Again I couldn't decide if I was becoming more. Or less.  I marked the spot with nine. Looks like January's cloth is moving into February.  My birth month.

I have been on one side of online learning for a while now.  I signed up for this just to have another point of view. Ulrike has taken several of my classes.  It will be swell to trade places. 

It is going to be 6 degrees tonight. Just the beginning of Big Cold.  Before more Big Snow. And more Big Cold.

 

Looking back at January

Some Januarys are cold.  This one was more like February.  I found this photo of Mom and the Old Sea.  Taken one super warm January not so long ago.  I like to remember her like this.

I know she was thinking of Dad.  Dad died the January before. Her hair was as white as the crest of the waves. Like the clouds if there had been any.

And I am caught in the white of winter.  White and not so white. Which is the way it happens. And caught in how we honor days.

January was deeper this year.  There was cold that moved through me in a different way. There was young death. There were old sadnesses. There were way too many new questions. There was the noticing of the whitening of the man's hair. And mine.

I am finishing January with this sense of whiteness.

.........

And thank you.

Indoor Camping

 Sleeping by the fire.

It has become more  fun than bother really.  Not because we have to. But because it is so fine.  On the floor under a mound of quilts.  Some still unfinished and it doesn't matter.

A less adult thing to do maybe.  But every night is a slumber party.  Nothing like  a  big old patchwork quilt.  Scraps of self, staring you in the face at every turn.  I dream in small journeys.

Today we prep for the man's trip. He leaves early in the morning.  There is always a space when he leaves.  I will fill it with stitch.

This quilt goes back to 2006. A still ungiven gift for my son. I have yet to document it fully here.  Reminder to self to do that.

 

Place

My son, he has been driving around the US in the last month.  Some business to attend to. Some quiet time.  Vacation from the work and bustle in NYC.  I haven't heard in a while.  I sent a text. Where are you? Everything OK?

photo by Kursten Bracchi

He woke up here. I guess so. 

And So

Around 4AM I was awake.

I left the deck light on so I could monitor what was happening when I got up to check the fire every few hours.  The wind was light but enough to keep the accumulation on the rail to a minimum.  Soul-o  hangs out in the cold studio for hours at a time. With the addition of a litter box and a spare woodpile under the worktable, it has  become his "outside"  in these cold and bad weather stretches .  He likes the cold.  It works because it is not that cold. Just cold enough.

He scratched at the door between the studio and the kitchen around 5 AM.  Had some breakfast and hung out on  his new favorite cushion for a while.

I tidied up the kitchen  and sat on the floor with coffee and we waited for sunrise. In the quiet.  The man snored by the fire.

And So. It seems it is over here.  The sun is out. About 21" is what I measured .  And this is what I have to show for it. Old cloth might be a measure for season.

Without big wind, this was just big snow. Cold temperatures mean a lighter powder and so I think shoveling it is.  It is just winter here for now.  And for that we are grateful.

Whew.

And it is still snowing

7 AM:

Not much to see except snow.

And lights!

Roads closed at 11:00 PM last night.

20 degrees Feels Like: 1°
Wind: N 30 mph

It will snow all day. 30" expected.

That's a lot more squares.We will have to hire a plow.

 

 

Snowy eve

Blizzard of 2015 continued

Home again after a wine run... very slippery.  The road in hardly visible.

There was at least a bit of making today...

Baking bread warmed the house and it smells good in here.

Wind is kicking up and the BIG snow will start in a few hours. About 6 inches I think.  I will sew a square for each one.

Blizzard of 2015 - part 2 (looking)

Being outside while I still can.

Blizzard of 2015- part 1(the beginning)

Documenting the storm.

Awake at 3AM:

Stacked ALL the remaining wood in the garage.  Built 2 fires.  Coffee.  To the Market at 6 AM for some extra supplies.

I never buy the newspaper. But I did. 

7AM: Snowing lightly. Very cold and Windy.

...asked myself, do blizzards come from eggs?

11:09 AM. Snowing Lightly.

I have pulled out a small basket of whitish square scraps to work with today. When I can.  Whitish, not pure white as snow sometimes seems in the thinner spots when it is blowing. And it is blowing.  But first out to gas up the Jeep.

1:29 PM  Gassed up and ready.

Snow is just coming down now and accumulating.  The deck, as usual reminds me of a stitched cloth.

 

 

 

Here it comes

 

Blizzard Watch

 

OK, so we are in store for the BIG kind of snow it seems, maybe 2 feet or more.  Flakes expected as soon as 4AM and lasting though Wednesday morning. I think we are as prepared as possible. If the power holds I'll be posting. After the snow we, well, I (since the man will be traveling)  am looking at very cold days.  Ok then. Going. Into February.