Feel the Love

I've been thinking about Love lately. I think it has been prompted by this book, a book I have been slowly working my way through, trying to take the time to reflect on her lessons in love. This weekend was a study in Love as so many events came loaded with it.

The first was a baby shower for Julia, a lovely woman I have been able to befriend in the real world.

Through her I have met some amazing knitter women with a wonderful love for the craft of knitting, for the world of fiber. The shower was unique, full of gifts that were lovingly handspun, handmade, thought through, sent from afar.

It is a real statement when those around you choose to bring their best to your table,

and you can know each stitch, each piece is literally imbued with love, to wrap and surround and protect this new little boy who will be coming to stay. Each gift brought forth a lot of the coos we women do when looking at tiny beautiful things, but it also made us all realize what a community is formed by the Love of something.

I assembled an assortment of handmades, sewn and knit,

and had great fun with the preparation. The bibs are just a simple pattern I made up with cotton batting sandwiched between the layers to absorb whatever copious fluid child is making, the ubiquitous footie warshcloth, the cubes are a tutorial found here with an added i-cord loop for hanging and the booties are hand-me-downs as I had two pairs.

And then in true crafter form, all the bags came out and projects emerged and we got down to the business of making. Not one shower game to suffer through, because that ain't their style.

I have a few shots that I caught that speak for themselves.

Thanks to all the women, and to you, Julia, congratulations.

The evening was spent with our two favorite people, Mike and Kate. Mike is a long time friend and was my husband's best man, Kate his fiance. They are the go-to people when we have time to get out but the last year their living situation was less than ideal. Not terrible, just in a space where others were still living a life of parties lasting until 4 a.m. and including copious amounts of all things toxic. They extricated themselves and now are down the street, in a old little home in our historic area. They now have a screened in front porch and a phenomenal roommate that radiates goodness. We all sat on the porch with cold drinks and a seemingly endless desire to talk; Obama, self-sustaining lifestyles, past lives, family, hopes and dreams. It was good. We stayed up too late but it was worth every moment to reconnect and revitalize our community, our connections.

(I have to brag about Kate for a moment. She just finished her Master's in Soc and has already secured a position as a professor at one of the largest community colleges in Southern California. All by the age of 26. Damn. That is good).

You know those times when your well feels a bit dry, lacking the nourishment you need? I was in that space, but after a weekend like this one, well, it feels filled. It feels good. So, what do you do to fill your well of Love? I am finding it takes reaching out, letting go and believing in being loved. I'll leave you with a little something I love most-est....


Have a good week.

(Just changed up the blog format so the flickr pictures show up in full. I like it better. What do you think?)