Snowflakes and Squares
Snowed again. And cold. I was content to spend the day inside, but a friend needed us and the company would be good for us as well, so we braved the cold and the swirling snow late afternoon to join them at their house a few short miles from here. Fortunately, the sun was still up when we left. It lingers longer now and brings a bit more warmth with it--even swaddled in snow clouds.
When we got to our friend's house and she was still out in the cold and the snow, I fretted. We can't really worry about friends in the way we do children, but I could not dispel the edginess I felt as it got dark and colder, especially up here where we have no street lights and emergency services of the official kind are far away.
Her car did slide off the road, wedging itself miraculously between a sturdy signpost and an electric wire and about two feet from the edge of a snow covered stone wall. She is OK and the car is OK. The story I want to share is the story of the matter of factness with which folks up here look after each other.
The first person along the road after she slid off knew her, insisted she get out of the car and the cold and brought her safely, gently home. And then she turned around and did an expert job of directing our efforts to retrieve the car. A neighbour came by in a pick up truck --I've seen the truck on the roads around our new neighbourhood but don't know the driver yet. The two of them set to work and had the car out in no time.
The few cars that passed by on that road stopped and checked that everything and everyone was Okay. In the middle of a worrying time there were caring, thoughtful people. It was very reassuring.
Nonetheless when yesterday arrived with snow and cold again, I was content to sit and knit and watch old movies and let the snowflakes batter themselves against the window and slide down to collect anonymously on the windowsill. Even my knitting was simplified for ease of thinking and doing. I knit squares for a blanket that will help someone sometime when they need a little help or a little warmth. I like to think that each stitch, each square adds up.
posted by landgirl @ 9:08 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
A reassuring story.
See my response here:
http://510russ.blogspot.com/2010/02/journal-entry-02-feb-2010.html
:)
Sharon, that photograph simply beautiful. You have an artist's eye which is the only true requirement to be a good photographer. If your interested in a more technical critique I'd be glad to send you one.
Now you should know, that when I was with you and Morris, I felt more empowered than at any other time when I was in the UK. This empowerment came from knowing that you and Morris know everyone, and that their grace would be extended to me simply because I was your friend. I wish things worked that way around here.
Sometimes knitting is for me but when it becomes too much a me thing it loses its value to me and to others. I remember when Russ was training me he said that he liked to think that when he was working on those docs that demand so much attenmtion and seem so removed from anything that he was doing it so that a mother with a sick child could get up at 2 am and take something from the medicine cabinet and know it was safe and effective. So I thought about that as I rededicated myselft to my knitting.
Oh, Russ, you do me great honour in the writing and the remembering. Thank you.
Matt, thank you for the praise of the photo. I take that as high praise indeed. I so often wish you were here so I could turn to you and say, Now what if I do it like this..or somesuch.
We stopped by Old Schoolhouse restaurant the other day. They are closed but the note--in typical best Caithness fashion--says if you call us before 3pm, we'll open for dinner for you.
Don't lose heart.
as usual // foto great //scorie //
Post a Comment
<< Home