My Own Fairyland

When I was a child one of my favorite Disney movies to watch over and over was Mary Poppins with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. The biggest thrill for me was when she opened that magical carpetbag and started pulling items out, one after another that should not possibly have fit within. Every single time I watched the movie I held my breath in anticipation of that scene more than any other, even when I watched the movie with my own small children and, later, grandchild. For me, that beautiful bag was full of magic; I knew I must someday have a Mary Poppins bag of my very own.

So, imagine my absolute delight when my lifelong search culminated in a dream come true and I discovered Max Carpetbag Works on Etsy recently. I took time to scroll through all the fantastic options for just the right one; believing it would reveal itself to me because it had been waiting a lifetime to do so. The moment I found this incredible bag my heart jumped for joy as I'm certain I heard it say, "Finally, you found me!". Isn't that part of the allure for all of us who are irrepressibly drawn to the timeless charm of a carpetbag? There's a hidden part in us convinced they contain practically perfect magical moments deep inside. 

When this long awaited treasure arrived on Saturday I could barely contain myself. I knew from the first glimpse and brush of my hand, as I began to pull away the wrapping, that my carpetbag had found its way home. As I lovingly perused it I experienced an emotional rush of memories. I was a little girl with blonde pigtails on my grandparents farm, watching Mary Poppins with my cousins, wearing baby-doll pajamas. Suddenly, I became a young mother with two little girls, one with blonde pigtails, the other with auburn, staring with rapt attention at Mary Poppins, while I waited beside them for that scene I never tired of. All those years later, my own children were just as thrilled as me by the never-ending stream of magic Mary's bag produced. Finally, my heart warmed at the memory of a tiny granddaughter, with springy brown curls and delight in her eyes as she watched my favorite scene with me for the first time. 

This carpetbag has lured me back into my own fairyland. All I had to do was open it, reach in, and start pulling the memories out one by one. Although it just found its way to me, it has the sense of having always been mine. I believe it's packed full of more magical moments waiting to reveal themselves to me every time I open it. I also feel strongly about surrounding myself with things of beauty that make me happy. If those things are functional, well-made, and stand the chance of serving the purpose for which they were intended for many years then the purchase is a wise one. 

                  "Don't you know that everybody's got a Fairyland of their own?" 

                                               Mary Poppins - P. L. Travers

Tiny Stars

One of the most satisfying things in the world to me is to spend time knitting and crocheting baby items. They are so like the sweet little bundles they will eventually find themselves snuggled around: tiny, soft, warm, delicate, and beautiful. Making a special gift for a baby can be done fairly quickly and conveys love to the expectant parents. When invited to a baby shower or "sprinkle", I much prefer to give a handmade gift than something purchased. A handknit item can be passed down through the years and achieve heirloom status. This set pictured above is one of my favorite baby gifts. I've used various fibers over the years but have decided I prefer Knit Picks Andean Treasure above all else. It's soft, breathable, one hundred percent baby alpaca and is available in an array of beautiful colors. Pictured here are Cherry Blossom, Fog Heather, and Finnley Heather. The hat is "Baby's Cabled Milk-Silk Cap" designed by Susan Boye. The leg warmers are "Cashmere Baby Leg Warmers" designed by Patti Ghezzi. 

 The lovely golden hat pictured above is "Merino-Silk Cables for Baby" designed by Isela Phelps. The buttery soft and bouncy yarn used to make this cabled hat is Sirdar Sublime Baby Cashmere. If you love to knit tiny baby hats you will really love this hat! It is too precious and it's unisex. So it's a win-win pattern and gift! A mommy can pass it along from baby to baby, especially when it's knit in a neutral color. What's not to love?! The patterns for both hats and the leg warmers can be found and purchased in this book on Amazon.

My absolute favorite baby booties (shown at top in the pink set) "Cute Cables" are designed by Frederique Alexandre and can be found in the book featured below, which can also be purchased on Amazon. The somewhat squared toe and multitextured effect of these booties never fails to cause delight, not only in the recipient, but in me every single time I knit a pair. They simply make me happy. Also, once again, they are unisex, making them an absolutely perfect pattern to return to time and time again.

There truly is something special about a couple of stolen hours in an afternoon spent quietly knitting baby items that's different than doing anything else. The stitches hold a particular charm unknown to all other pursuits. One can almost smell that magical essence of baby as the needles glide along smoothly. Baby knitting takes therapeutic value to a whole new level of nirvana. It must be experienced rather than described. If you love it like I do, you understand; it's a feeling, not an action. 

Choice of color and adding embellishment (or not) makes this exquisite cabled earflap hat unisex also. For my favorite go-to crocheted rose and leaf pattern you can hop over to Attic 24 and whip up as many May Roses as you like.

Few things fill my heart with the same measure of joy as the sight of one so fresh from God nestled warmly in one of my handknit items. Babies are like tiny stars dropped down from heaven sent to add sparkle to all the dim corners of the world. They grow and shine their light into every crack and crevice, helping us to focus on the bright and beautiful things in life. For that we owe them a great deal.

•                 “Like stars are to the sky, so are the children to our world. 
•                                          They deserve to shine!”
•                                           Chinonye J. Chidolue

To Dwell In Possibilities

 There once was a girl of only sixteen who lay across her bed feeling ill. A young man, whom she already loved with her whole heart, quietly entered the room. In his hand was a small volume of poetry covered in blue velvet with silver lettering. The room was awash in the soft glow of late afternoon, which enhanced the golden aura the young man naturally exuded. 

Although he was only twenty at the time, he knew the secret way to her heart; the tender language of love. He sat quietly in the chair next to her bed, opened the book, and began to read aloud. His voice was melodic and gentle as it mingled with the words penned by Emily Dickinson from a time gone by; a time of once and future possibilities. 

Tiny dust motes shimmered in a beam of light from a window and danced as fairies in the fading sun. They were joyous because they knew, as the young man continued to read, the magic of possibilities swirled in the air. The young girl was soon soothed into a peaceful sleep. She awoke completely restored. The young man still sat by her bed in a room full of dusk with a book of poetry in his hand. 

Many years later, though the girl is not so young, she still loves that same man with her whole heart. A man who, when he was young, sat by her bed and read poetry to her. It was the beginning of possibilities. Possibilities to experience many times over. The reading of poetry, the carrying of one another through illness, the joy of togetherness, and the love and friendship that deepens over time.

What would life be if we did not dwell in possibilities; if we did not live on the edge of what if? There would be a myriad of things and people we would miss along the way. We never outgrow the ability to reach for and achieve new possibilities. Do you have a dream, a desire, a longing, a passion to be or do something? The time has come for you to dwell in possibilities. May you reach for the stars and on your way up enjoy the thrill of reaching. 

Though some of the pages are loose from nearly forty years of being read, the beloved blue velvet book of poetry is still one of my dearest treasures. It has been my constant reminder that life is full of possibilities. 

"I dwell in Possibility - "

Emily Dickinson

The Spirit of Winter

 

Hush, hush, hush … Do you hear it?

Hush, hush, hush … If you listen very closely, with your heart wide open, you will know the silent, soft stillness of white. There is a magic that swirls in the air and settles into each tiny crystalized flake. As it dances round and round it captures the hopes and dreams of all humankind to sprinkle them in glistening purity throughout the land. 

Soon the treetops are reaching towards heaven under the collective, glorious weight of the promise of a land filled with people who continue to hope and dream through even the bleakest of days. Each delicate snowflake holds the secret of the ages; each unique crystal knows the magic is in the believing. They know, too, that as beautiful as they are individually, they have the ability to create great moments of awe when they stick together. 

When the things of the world strip us to our core, the trees don their winter finery to stand tall and regal before us in the hazy days. If we listen intently we will feel their message. We will hear the truth that can never be suppressed within them. The trees, no matter what, will always continue to sing for joy, and they invite us to rejoice with them in every single season. They want us to behold their remarkable, unchangeable, and beautiful resilience; to recognize that God has placed that age-old magic deep within our DNA as well. Our Creator equipped us to be overcomers and He uses the wonders of nature to bestow peace and instill new hope in us.  

As I enter this new year of 2021, with the world just beyond my window holding her cold, frosty breath, I, too, am holding my breath. I am holding it in anticipation of all the good things that lie ahead. Although I have one last week of being cocooned in warm, slow days of knitting, while the dogs lay curled up in beds nearby, I will lay down the needles and return to the clicking of keys again soon. The holiday break has held much joy and given me a needed rest, however, it is time to look to the future. After taking a six month sabbatical I will resume my education starting next Monday. I earned one degree last summer and it's time to work towards the next degree (and the next … ). As much as I have loved taking a step back from school and filling the spaces with more knitted stitches than I had accomplished since I began this journey, I am ready and excited to dive back in. Books, literature, and writing have always been my great pursuits in life. Therefore, earning a BA in English has been a lifelong dream for me. 

The following week I will resume work, which I am still doing remotely. There are not enough words in the world to express how much I love my job as a professional writing consultant. When we went into pandemic mode in March and I began to work from home I was uncertain at first about my capabilities to connect with the students. Before long my hour-long consultations were finding their new rhythm in a world that had suddenly gone somewhat sideways. Those lovely, wondrous students filled my home and shaped my days with their diverse views, insightful conversation, and eventual friendship as the months continued to stretch on and on. 

So, even though there were many challenges along the way last year, I have to say I am thankful for every one of them because they got me from there to here. And here is exactly the place I always want to be. Wherever here is I have learned to trust it is the place I am meant to be, which means all things will come together as they were intended to, usually better than if I had planned them on my own.

"Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let the trees of the forest sing for joy."

Psalm  96:12

"I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship." 

Louisa May Alcott 

Little Women 

Knitted dishcloth pattern "There's Snow Place Like Home"

Designed by Rachel van Schie

http://www.knitsbyrachel.com/

Yarn is Dishie from Knit Picks 

https://www.knitpicks.com/

Colors: Blush, Dewdrop & Clarity

https://www.knitpicks.com/yarn/dishie-yarn/c/5420207