The ripeness of each moon… a time to pause and reflect on all that is…
inspired by this full moon, I’ve an irresistible urge to cast on something pink…
While the Earth continues to awaken from her slumber, the leaves and blossoms on trees begin to burst forth with vivid green and magenta…
Tullamore Glen, IA
and I’m reminded of the pink of the desert…
Moab, UT
You may have noticed that I missed my post for the Full Worm Moon in March. My husband and I went on an impromptu, extended-weekend camping trip to the desert. I hadn’t realized how much I needed to step-away from my daily routine and to experience the Earth’s seasonal shift from a different perspective. It’s not a place I’m normally drawn to, however, we listened to our hearts, packed up the car and spent five nights camping under the full worm moon and stars, and walked the desert landscape during the days.
I suppose I’ve always thought of the desert as dry and barren, a hot place with limited vegetation. And perhaps, that’s what I’ve expected from a desert, so each time I’ve gone, that’s what I’ve seen. Yet this time, I went to be part of that landscape, to witness the transition from winter to spring; open to the possibilities of seeing something new.
Since March 2020, life has felt a little like the desert. This past year has been a time of soul-searching, grieving, and leaning into what it means to part of this world during this time. And while, the year has also been filled with new ways of being, the push to return to normal, as is the case here in my town and state is unsettling. I’m not sure I’m quite ready.
So, how does the desert open back up after a long winter and usher in new life?
with grace and simplicity and slowness…
Fisher Towers overlooking Professor Valley, Moab, UT
On the last day of our adventure, based on a recommendation from a local, we hiked to Corona Arch. Climbing up out of the Colorado River valley towards the cliffs that seemed to hang high above our heads, I looked up to see my husband grinning… “you are going to like this.” And there, was a “field” of cairns…
not just one…
or two,
or even a hundred…
but hundreds of cairns.
And if one cairn marks the way to guide us…
I can only surmise that hundreds of cairns must certainly mean that one is no longer lost…
a sacred place on the path to the Corona Arch.
Corona Arch, Moab, UT
Although we’ve been back home for six weeks, the impact of our excursion to the desert will remain with me for quite some time. Stepping away from our current daily tasks to focus on being connected with self, each other, and the Earth… I needed that chance.
What’s on my needles… well, there are always multiple works in progress (WIPs), however, these days my needles have been relatively quiet. Just last week, the new Shetland Wool Week hat pattern was released so I was inspired to cast on the “Da Crofter’s Kep.” You can find the free pattern here. I had all the Jamieson and Smith’s yarn for the colors called for in the pattern… I love starting off a colorwork hat pattern using the intended colors as it teaches me a bit about color blending.
Da Crofter’s Kep in Jamieson and Smiths
What’ I’ve been reading… besides work, this is probably the reason (oh, and the gardens) that I’ve not been knitting much of late. This book will most likely go down as my book of the year… The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson. It’s one of those books that makes it hard to move on to the next book. It’s an important story that’s told in this book… one that many of us know nothing about, even those of us currently living on the lands where this story takes place. If you chose to read this book, please send me an email as I’d love to know your thoughts.
What’s next… as I approach the end of the academic year, my mind is busy spinning with possibilities. Planning for Project Peace is underway with a theme most likely picked and now, I’m on the look-out for daily topics that connect with the theme. However, as I reflect on the lessons from the past year, my desert immersion and life in Tullamore Glen, I’m reminding myself to proceed slowly with simplicity and hopefully, a little grace.
How are you feeling this Full Pink Moon?