"I started photographing my domestic world and writing not just about what I had made,
but why I made it, examining the thoughts that accompany creativity and the act of making."
Jane Brocket from The Gentle Art of Domesticity p. 189 UK edition

Monday, November 16, 2015

Seeing the Light

Daylight Savings Time just does not seem to save much daylight to me!  However, as our family dashed around turning on lights from room to room as Autumn days slid by, in quick succession, we celebrated three family birthdays in candlelight. This year our family friend Annie made and presented my oldest granddaughter Hayley with her 8th birthday cake which was in the shape of a very cute ladybug.
With variegated nylon ribbon yarn, I crocheted Hayley a little art project bag filled with a coloring book and a box of colored pencils.  The day after I gave it to Hayley I heard urgent shouts from her parents, "Joy, stop!"  I feared the worst, but discovered that the urgent voices were thankfully not due to a matter of life or death. Joy had just been slinging the art bag around and it began to unravel.  Mercy! It did not take me long to single crochet it back into shape, but this time I did more than weave the end back and forth!
Frequently I have been awakening to see gray skies, and fewer and fewer green and golden leaves on our massive wild cherry tree outside my window.
Water droplets clinging to the branches is a wonderful sight, sparkling, reflecting light...promising the end of our days of drought, as rain fills our ponds for water fowl to float upon and dive under to find food, and frogs to wiggle and leap through their life cycle.
The weather has not only been conducive to stitching on various projects and reveling in the rain, but has also encouraged me to enjoy all sorts of reading, including some of the writings of Catherine de Hauck Doherty, who was born in pre-Communist Russia. She was a wealthy woman of title who then became an impoverished political refugee.  She earned her way back into wealth in Canada and the United States, then gave up her wealth for living in the light of her faith in God, serving Him by caring for the poor.  
Little Rosie my youngest granddaughter recently celebrated her second birthday!  We had a joyous celebration!  In our world too often darkened with destruction, we care for those whose lives are impacted by that destruction and are investing in seeing and being light that dispels it with love.

xx
Gracie

22 comments:

  1. Hello my friend! It looks like you are keeping happily busy and occupied during this rainy and cold time. I'm working up the gumption to go swimming on Wednesday. What a cute photo of your littlest one.. sweet! Say, I got another book on my iPad by the guy who wrote the book set on Mt. Hood.. this time he's on a sailboat and meeting people along his travels. I'll let you know how it goes. Hope to see you soon! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  2. Hello Gracie, you shared such wonderful photos of your family making happy memories. I love the art bag you crocheted for your granddaughter; it's a great idea. I hope you are having a good week. I always enjoy reading your blog. Take care, Pat xx

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  3. A beautifully written post. Lots of celebrations, belated birthday wishes to them all. Loved the bag, a wonderful gift. Take care.

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  4. Autumn is birthday season for you, it's such a blessing to have little ones around you. It sounds like you've got plenty of things to keep you occupied now that the darker evenings are here, it's the same here, I just wish there were more hours in the day so that I could do everything I want to do.

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  5. What a beautiful post, Gracie. I love waking in the morning and checking what the light outside is like.
    Happy Birthday to your grandgirls! That was a funny story about the unraveling project bag.
    I'll look up that book--I am so busy right now that not a lot of reading is getting done here--I'll put it on a reading list ;)

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  6. Happy birthday to Haley and Rosie I love the pictures. So sweet I'm sure she really likes that tote bag you made her. Precious gift from grandma. Our drought seems to be ending over here too. We even had some snow last night but it didn't stick around very long. Today it's rain and that's fine with me! I've been running around cleaning this morning but right now I'm sitting by the fire with a cup of tea, reading blogs and getting ready to crochet or knit. Have a wonderful day my sweet Gracie.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  7. Beautiful words, Gracie. I love the project bag you made your granddaughter - it looks like it was worked on a big needle which is my kind of crocheting. I'm enjoying this time of year and all the changes in the weather and the light. I "hang out" in my guest room a lot where the sun shines in so brightly everyday. What a joy. As always, your living room looks so cozy with your books and works in progress close by.
    I know it's a bit early, but I wanted to wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving. xo

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  8. Gracie, I am trying to get all caught up and I have missed you so much. Lots of wonderful things happening with your family, can that sweet baby be 2 already?
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

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  9. Hello Gracie - lovely to read and see your news. Happy birthday to your granddaughters. Mine had birthdays in Sept and Oct. Love the crochet bag present idea. Swinging it around like that sounds like something that my eldest GD would do. I am not enjoying being so busy at present - especially with DH poorly and a special cake to make. Hugs Anne x

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  10. 2 already, those years have flown....lovely post Gracie and yes lets all keep brightness in all of our lives ♥

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  11. What a happy week, Gracie, with two happy birthdays. I'm not a fan of the dark myself but these long evenings can be very productive.
    Amalia
    xo

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  12. Hi Gracie, as always, it's nice to see what you've been up to. I love the project bag, it's so cute. I'm glad to know it was easily fixed. I hope both birthday celebrants have a wonderful year. Take care and enjoy the rest of your week.

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  13. Oh Gracie - such lovely photos! The children in the top one and the looks on their faces in the candlelight, how wonderful. I also, am coveting your chair by the fire - what a simply perfect spot!!
    :-)

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  14. Gracie, Congratulations to both of your grand daughters on their birthdays. Their celebrations must bring brightness to November days! I love your art project bag it is such lovely colours too! Sarah x

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  15. A very happy belated birthday to Rosie and Hayley! I am missing the longer days already and the blue skies. The stormy weather has been pretty exciting though and the abundance of rain is filling the ponds:)
    Blessings, Aimee

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  16. Happy birthday to your granddaughters! Looks like a wonderful time of celebration! Very nice job on the art bag--glad to hear it didn't come apart too badly! Your home looks very cozy with the fireplace, and the book on Doherty sounds like a fascinating story. I'm not too fond of the end of Daylight Savings time myself--too bad we can't stay on summer time all year!

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  17. Oh such fun to be able to share birthdays with each other. I am not a fan of the daylight savings time, either. Glad you are getting some reading time in. Looking forward to seeing what you are making next. Blessings always

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  18. What a lovely post and what a lovely occasion to celebrate. Your last word so resonated with me. Thank you.

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  19. Your story about the art bag is quite instructive! If I ever have grandchildren, I hope I remember to make sure I secure all the yarn ends securely!
    So many happy times for your family. Thanks for sharing.

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  20. Such joyful family times, Gracie. Love the candlelit pictures of your sweet grandchildren. Amazing to think that baby Rosie is now 2! The art project bag is such a nice idea and your story is a good lesson in securing the ends extremely well if it is a child's gift :)
    Wishing you a happy weekend.
    Helen xox

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  21. Hello dear Gracie. I have missed you so! It always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling when I visit you. Lots of wonderful family things! And yarny things!!!!! I sure hope I can get back into a more regular blogging s he duel soon.
    Much love
    Kris

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  22. Just wanted to pop by and wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. Many blessings to you and your family. xo

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