How a conversation brought calm after a nightmare...

I went on a walk with a local friend on Monday...

was really nice...autumn leaves, discussing books...

Later on, after falling asleep, I found myself awake, troubled,

having a nightmare, 

I am sure I drank some Holy Water and then

I went online to read something comforting;

well, I did not find that 'something' but then I started remembering the 

conversation I had with my friend,

and how I acquired my first icon, with money from my 27th birthday...

the next thing I knew, I was writing a short essay... 

and was calmed, comforted and slept the rest of the night through...

this essay published today at Conciliar Post...

***

I told my friend that I did not know what to do with her icon, once I bought it. I would sit in one of the old IKEA chairs; chairs my professor had lent me for my studio apartment, and just stare at this icon of St. Xenia. I put this icon on the mantle of the small black gas fireplace in my small studio apartment. Once, I remember, I was holding this icon and looking deeply at it when I suddenly felt like I was falling into the icon; that somehow the layers of the icon opened and there I was, falling. I did not know it then, but that was prayer.

***

You can read the rest here at Conciliar Post and here on my 

blog for published writings. 

3: a delicate shawl in mink, thick scarf in brown, and the sunshine blanket ~ this week's yarn along

For Christmas (or was it birthday?) I was given

a skein of lovely grey 100% mink yarn.

It's lovey, so soft and so very delicate but with a 

still noticeable durability for all it's delicate features... 

It took a while to make into a ball.

I am making a shawl,

as easy as is possible:

start with three and increase.

I am using my Oma's knitting needles

that I was given for my birthday.

I am hoping for a beautiful finish to this,

and it is so calming to knit.

It will take me a while but that

is just fine!

Cast on a bulky brown scarf,

started with some knit rows and now

doing stockinette.

Will be a DV Christmas present,

size 13 needles.

The sunshine squares blanket is going well.

Much work to be done on it yet

but it will be cute and cheery when it's done! 

I loved this book.

It was so many wonderful things.

I wrote about this book yesterday.

It's such a lovely book;

encouraging, restorative, at times light and funny,

at times enlightening, profound;

it was full of love and encouragement.

It was exactly what I needed.

*

What are you creating and reading??!

Yarn Along with us!