All the Light - 2023

 

I started this project in September 2022 and finished it in February 2023. It was a fascinating project, full of twists and turns, new stitches and an engaging story line. I couldn't put it down! 

This is a Crochet Along from 2020 by Sheepjes called d'Histoire Naturelle. The pattern is based on the book All the Light We Cannot See by Idaho author Anthony Doerr. Much of the setting of the book is in Paris' natural history museum, and each part of the pattern focuses on a section of the museum starting at the center: Jardin des Plantes, Galerie d'Entomologie, Galerie de Botanique, Galerie de Mineralogie et Geologie, Grand Galerie de l'Evolution, and finally Galerie de Paleontologie.

In the photo the Jardin des Plantes starts in the middle of the circle and ends at the pink square garden walls. Full of plants, flowers and hedges, this section is full of life and blooms.

Next is the entomology department. Featuring bees and butterflies and plants to sustain them, this section was challenging to crochet. You can see the bees and butterflies in the next photo.

The final section shown is the Galerie de Botanique, a round greenhouse full of plants and leaves.

The four corners represent the Minerology and Geology department. Can you just imagine the dark gallery with agates, quartz, lapis lazuli, rhodochrosite, jade and geodes sparkling under the lights directed at them from above? The gems glow in their dark backgrounds, bordered by white diamonds.

The Galerie de l'Evolution features a parade of animals representing the march of evolution. In the museum this can be viewed from the arcades, galleries and walkways above the display. At the head of the march, or perhaps at the end of it, is the elephant, see here above the diamonds. Can you make out the balcony above the elephants as well, with its marble balustrades?

The last Gallery in the afghan features seashells, pearls, bones and skeletons.

This project was compelling. Unique to me, the idea of creating a crochet project based on a book's description of a place spurred me on to designing my own pattern for a Tree of Life mandala. I am sketching and planning; yarn is purchased; I am Googling how to write and record the pattern as it develops. 

Perhaps this endeavor, this project, revealed some of the light in me I cannot see, or have not seen, or have put under a basket for far too long.

The Borders 2023

Our annual pilgrimage to the UK is just 10 days away. The trip this year is very different from the past few - we are not visiting any islands, except for a plane change in Dublin, Ireland.

This trip focuses on The Borders - that area between Scotland and England which was fought over for five centuries as governments - monarchs, sheriffs, wardens - attempted to draw a line, drive a wedge, between and among clans and families, economies, religious choices. The Border remained fluid and wild and a place of reivers, mobsters, unruly denizens and unruled government officials. It was illegal to marry across The Border - wherever it lay in that decade, that century - to engage in commerce, to converse.

We will be visiting medieval cities, abbey ruins, castles, churches; weaving, textile and corn mills; rivers, viaducts, bridges, and hiking the Eildon Hills. Most of our trip is in Scotland; we will cross the current border into England and visit Bamburgh Castle, Berwick-Upon-Tweed and Flodden Field. Like last year, the rented car will carry us around the region, our trusty steed on this, another adventure. 

Our trip concludes with a couple of days in Edinburgh, wandering the Royal Mile, searching for the original walls of the original city, visiting history and art museums.