February brings the rain, Thaws the frozen lake again. – Sara Coleridge
Rain. Rain mixed with snow. Snow. Snow mixed with rain. And now bitter cold. Yet, lengthening days and increasing birdsong hold the promise that spring is coming, even if it does not feel like it this morning!
Add in my shawl to this sad mess. I got to the point in my knitty math to add in the gold and what had been the most soothing knit suddenly became one filled with angst. A few rows in and that angst did not go away, so I listened to that voice telling me this was not working and stopped. I ripped back and now I am in a holding pattern while I ponder what to do. My inner voice is telling me this needs a cool color rather than the warm gold. I don’t think I have anything in my stash that might work, but I have not looked that closely. Fortunately, I am not a “solo project knitter” so my Pheasant Pullover got some attention instead!
However, despite the miserable weather and shawl angst, there were plenty of things to love this week, starting with Mr. Rogers. NPR shared some amazing photos of Fred Rogers here. The images are brilliant, and the words that accompany them are perfect! Just like he was!
I listened to a really smart podcast this week, Stay Tuned with Preet! He interviewed Dan Goldman, the conversation was fascinating and so informative!
I want to thank Mary for telling me about Poetry Unbound! Today was a special treat when Pádraig read one of Ocean Vuong’s poems from Night Sky With Exit Wounds. I love hearing what someone else thinks about a poem – a new perspective adds a new dimension to a poem.
Finally a bit of poetry by Edward Hirsch to close out the week:
I’m Going to Start Living Like a Mystic by Edward Hirsch:
Today I am pulling on a green wool sweater and walking across the park in a dusky snowfall.
The trees stand like twenty-seven prophets in a field, each a station in a pilgrimage—silent, pondering.
Blue flakes of light falling across their bodies are the ciphers of a secret, an occultation.
I will examine their leaves as pages in a text and consider the bookish pigeons, students of winter.
I will kneel on the track of a vanquished squirrel and stare into a blank pond for the figure of Sophia.
I shall begin scouring the sky for signs as if my whole future were constellated upon it.
I will walk home alone with the deep alone, a disciple of shadows, in praise of the mysteries.
Have a great, long weekend everyone. See you all back here next week!
Have a great weekend Kat! (Unfortunately mine is not long…my office is open Monday.) Love “bookish pigeons.” Such an image!! Also loved the pics of Mr. Rogers – thanks for sharing!
It’s always good to listen to that inner voice, and I’m sure it will eventually tell you something that relieves the angst.
That poem is really something! I love little stories like this that say so much in just a few words. Thanks for sharing!
I hope your inner voice solves your problem soon. I find that I tend to ignore my inner voice and then I am ripping things out because of my stubbornness. Mr Rogers was the greatest man alive. I loved him growing up and his wisdom applies as a grown up 🙂
So love the poem by Hersch. Resonates with my life in a remote area of the Appalachians.
My weekend won’t be long, but it’ll be great nonetheless. Happy Valentine’s Day! We’re half way through February!!!!!!
I think the gold looks lovely, but you need to listen to what your heart is telling you with knitting projects or you wont be happy with the results. I’m glad someone out there loves February. By the time this month comes around, I’ve been ready for winter to end for a while now.
The inner knitter voice is quiet but persistent and you’ll be glad you listened. I saw that NPR piece on Mr Rogers the other day and I loved it. Happy Weekend!
Long weekend…surely you jest! We’ve got nothing ’til Memorial Day. Checking out the Mr. Rogers piece this weekend. Have a great weekend!
Thank you for sharing the link on Mister Rogers. I never watched his show growing up (we didn’t have PBS), but I wish I had. And I love that Amazon Prime has so many seasons. Sometimes I put it on in the background when we’re playing.
I’m sorry that your gold didn’t work in the shawl – but I think you’ll be happier by listening to your gut! I hope you sort it out soon. (but I DO like the gold!)
The poem you shared is lovely. Sigh.
Mr Rogers was one of the true delights of my childhood. Thank yo for sharing the link. Good luck on find the perfect color for the shawl.
I’m sorry about the tinking/unraveling, but you are wise to listen to that little voice now rather than regret it later!
The weather this week has been something, hasn’t it? I am focusing on the spring flowers already coming up and the cheerful twittering of birds I am hearing in the mornings now as reassurance that spring is coming!
oh that poem makes me want to take a walk in Central Park! I’m so glad you’re enjoying Poetry Unbound … Padraig’s insights into the poems are so good (especially this one; really appreciated his personal perspective). Happy Long Weekend!
What a beautiful poem. Another podcast featuring poetry is “The Slowdown” by Tracy K. Smith. Each episode is quite short with a comment about a poem before it is read. About that inner voice, congratulations on listening to it so soon after it speaks. I find she is usually right in her assessment about my knitting.
I was going to suggest “The Slowdown,” too. But Jane beat me to it! 😉
I don’t think the gold looks bad — but I know that you just KNOW when it’s not what you want. I’m not sure I’d go with too cool color, necessarily . . . but maybe something with more POP. Orange? Turquoise? Even a bright royal blue? I can’t wait to see what you come up with.