Wednesday, August 30, 2017

a cornucopia



Starting with the new moon in Leo on August 21st, I began a focus on abundance with the Roman goddess Abundantia. At first I didn't feel any connection with Abundantia whatsoever but after learning that her symbol was the cornucopia, I was all in. I love cornucopias, I have no idea why but I do. After I dug mine out of storage, I created an abundance altar. I began filling the cornucopia with reminders of abundance -- small (in size) gifts from friends, pieces of paper I'd written on and folded little, a flower from the garden and so on. Each day I add something and by the time of the full moon, this cornucopia will be overflowing. Abundantia, in case you're wondering, has a more well-known counterpart -- the Greek goddess Gaia.


I love that the light has changed enough that I feel like lighting candles during the day again. 


My newest garden ritual: Every morning there are dozens more dyer's coreopsis flowers to be picked and dried for making future dye. My little granddaughter helped me one morning, we both loved that, I hope she remembers doing it.


Our first morning glory blossom floating in the middle of the air.


Various stages of drying...maiden, mother, crone.


I finished knitting and blocking the Stitch Sampler Shawl. It's a generous size, about 17"x62" and was wonderful fun to knit. I almost want to start another one.

I'm intentionally slowing down at this, the busiest time of year. There is something about just going along, doing my thing. Not thinking about how time flies or whether there's enough time to do it all.

I want to hold onto this feeling. Thanks for visiting here. xx 

14 comments:

  1. Love it all! Do you mind telling me which yarn you used for the shawl? Brand and color? I'm currently downloading the pattern! I have a cornucopia hanging on my screen door with flowers. Maybe I'll start an abundance altar with it. Such a lovely tradition. Ok, pattern downloaded. I'm going to give it a bedtime read!
    xo
    dulcy

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  2. Such a beautiful shawl, love the mix of colours and it looks textural. Hadn't known the link to Gaia now that name makes even more sense. Despite all that happens around the world we do have an abundance of wonderful and various things, people and happenings we should be grateful for. I may have to repurpose my wicker waste bin for a while as my cornucopia lol
    Those are stunning pictures the ladies are holding up on your page I think I saw them?
    Beautiful, almost ethereal.
    The spiders are making their way indoors at night here now and some of my garden flowers are failing as the nights get chillier.
    The curtains get drawn earlier against eyes that walk past my house and I have to gather in the teenage cat so he's in overnight and not rambling about at dawn scaring the birds or chasing teeny mice lol It's like having a kid in the house again with Harvey ... an unfortunate name I see that now :(

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  3. I saw your shawl on Instagram. It is gorgeous. I love it in the dark colors. I've been learning to spin and had been eyeing that pattern as a possible way to use some of my homespun yarns. The lengthwise knitting looks like fun (provided you don't have to frog backwards!)

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  4. Love everything! But especially the 'Maiden, Mother, Crone" photo! Simply gorgeous and what wonderful "noticing" you did, to "see" this photo possibility.

    One of the nicest things about photography and blogging I think. We notice more. Maybe....

    Luna Crone

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  5. " I'm intentionally slowing down at this, the busiest time of year. There is something about just going along, doing my thing. Not thinking about how time flies or whether there's enough time to do it all.

    I want to hold onto this feeling"


    Ohhhhh my yessss!!!!!!

    Luna Crone

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  6. Thanks, Dulcy -- here's the scoop: Noro Kirara yarn in two colorways -- 2 skeins were 15 navy, green, orange, and one skein was 11 orange, olive, tan. I used about 2 and 3/4 skeins total and went down a needle size, too, I think. I'm a loose knitter. It's on my Ravelry page too if that's easier.
    Right now I can't think of anything better than a nice cornucopia!

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  7. Lyn, thank you -- yes, my girls and I went to a painting night (my two plus my two daughters-in-law) and that's what came of it. Mine is pretty bad up close but I hung it in the bedroom anyway. :)
    The nights are cool here as well, I always know things are winding down when the cucumbers stop producing. I love Harvey's name, the darling boy. We are seriously thinking about adopting a cat now that we just have the one dog, seems like the right window of time...just concerned about allergies for some of the kids. We need a non-allergenic cat. Our last cat did not cause any reactions for people for some reason, a tuxedo cat, I think they're called. I don't know that much about breeds. Any recommendations?

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  8. Hi Beth and thank you. Ha, I wouldn't spend time frogging on this piece, for sure! There was a row or two on the shawl that didn't come out perfect, count-wise, but it was easy to just increase or decrease without changing the patterns. I loved knitting it and think it would make a good showpiece for your homespun yarn...I'll be watching for it on instagram!

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  9. Thank you, Luna Crone! I agree with you -- the camera is an eye through which we see differently, tapping into something we don't normally access. It's that magic of looking at something and knowing how great it could be...contained almost...within a photo. Slows me down, for sure.:)

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  10. Your shawl is really lovely, and what a sweet memory to make with your granddaughter. Aside from being a great word, and a beautiful shape, cornucopias make me think of happy childhood celebrations. Wishing you fullness.

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  11. Hazel, thank you. That's probably part of it -- the word! I love the word cornucopia, so generous...like some other ia words (not the disease ones). Thank you for the wish and here's wishing you a full cornucopia in return.

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  12. Cornucopias remind me of my friends mom, who always wore her hair in a cornucopias-shaped bun thing. Miss that lady so much.
    Love the shawl and would love something so beautiful and funky...but with temps over 100 for days now, I don't know if I'll ever feel cold again!! I love seeing the medicine bag connected with ideas of abundance, as you have most certainly brought that into my life...abundance of goodness :)

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  13. Now there's one for the little notebook of quotations. From Woman with Wings..."I'm intentionally slowing down...." I love it! and I love the shawl. The colors are just... well, the best ever! Of course, you do know a thing or two about colors, as all of your readers have surely noticed.

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  14. Came by to see what you had on the blog... and was inspired to downloaded the directions for the sampler shawl. It looks so cozy.

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