Sunday, March 6, 2005

She's Reaching for the Stars

My daughter just amazes me.  As I fell asleep yesterday afternoon for a quick nap my daughter snuggled up against me and crocheted.  When I awoke she beamed at me with her beautiful smile; eyes tinkling.  In her hands was the most beautiful crocheted flower I have ever seen.  She crocheted it entirely on her own.  No pattern.  No instruction from me.  Totally her creation, and she was proud of it.  And so am I.  I couldn't help but flash her the biggest smile and gush over how wonderful it turned out.

Now, she's working on figuring out how to crochet stars.  (All for her Butterfly that she's decorating for next week's Mass.)

Since it appears that I'm her crochet role model, what better time to bring to light that besides March being National Crochet Month, it's also National Women's History Month! 

In my state, Connecticut, we have Laureate Marilyn Nelson as our official poet.  I like her poem entitled, "The Lace-Maker"

          Late Sunday morning gilds the pins and needles,
          strokes the wall ochre, blanches the white collar.
          He bends, intent on detail, his fingers red
          in sunlight, brown in shade. Light calls
          through the open to April window directly
          into his illumined invisible ear,
          like, elsewhere, the trumpet
          whisper of an angel
                                            
From Carver: A Life in Poems, published by Front Street


Isn't that poem great?!


And we also have Prudence Crandall (1803-1890) who became Connecticut's State Heroine in 1995 by an act of the General Assembly for establishing the first academy for African-American women in New England!

So as my daughter looks to me, and other crocheters for inspiration, I'll be taking steps to learn more about women's history this month.  If you're interested in learning more too, visit this website for some great recommended books:  Women's History Bibliography


On a final note for today, with thoughts of mother's and daughter's ... Rose, I think your three crochet wishes you posted to my journal here have already been granted!  You're an excellent crocheter, and your work is always beautiful!  I love that you've shared your gift for this art with your daughter, Nicki, and that she's taken to it with your passion and excitement!  J

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL on the comment from Rose!  I just went back to read it!  Very interesting about it being Women's History Month AND National Crochet Month.  I'll have to play around with some searches later on about these two things combined.  I'm so glad I'm not the only one who naps.  Somedays, I feel like all I do is sleep.  C'mon SPRING!!!!  Sheila

Anonymous said...

Aww, Dee, you're so good for my crochet soul!  To quote your words, "my daughter just amazes me."  Nicki has an affinity and talent for crochet that just blows me away, and so warms my heart.  Nicki, like Cassetta, just dives right in, hook and fiber in hand, and soon a beautiful form takes shape--wonderfully amazing!  Daughters are the best!