unable to stop

It might be the weather, which has been very un-spring like up to just a few days ago, but I find myself spending long stretches of time with my hands playing with yarn and it is pretty safe to say that I have developed a severe slight addiction to knitting over this past winter. It's been a growing source of enjoyment for me, to hear the needles clicking, creating patters and textures out of simple string, but it might be getting out of control. I think it's officially 'out of control' if you have to stop your knitting because your hands hurt too much to continue. As I started to tidy up our living room a few days ago, I glanced around and counted nine works in progress. NINE. That's a lot of work in progress. And they are not small projects... a blanket, (well, two really, since I still need to weave in all the ends of this one) a shawl, a bag, hats, a sweater...

I am hoping that the approach of summer will inspire me to kick the habit - at least until next fall at least. Or until we turn the AC.

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Today's Soundtrack
Hey Ya (acoustic) cover

rain

It's rainy, and damp. And beautiful.


Perfect weather to stay indoors, knitting, watching a movie. Or to lose yourself, staring out the window at few sunrays dancing through the big gray clouds.


Maybe I should be annoyed at this weather, stealing from the those precious few New York spring days, but I can't. It reminds me of summer storms in Verona, and spring days in London, when the air is saturated with moisture, and there is an undeniable feeling of newness, cleanliness and freshness everywhere.

Thanks Brian, for the inspiration...

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Today's Soundtrack

Badly Drawn Boy - The Shining

warmth

Thank you for the comments, the emails, the gentle reminder, that you are all out there and that maybe, just maybe, I should pull myself out of my blogging coma and show my face.

What's been going on? Lot's. Life. Sunshine. Friends. Travel. Decisions. Yarn (oh my, so much yarn!). And that glorious spring light... so perfect for playing around with a film camera for the first time...

I've also been working on sprucing up this little space (and developing a little shop!) and I was using that as an excuse to push back my return to this online universe. But it turns out, I am not that good with html and it is taking me way longer than expected - a whole three months longer - to do what I want to do. And, surprise surpise, it's not done. Yet. So stay tuned for that, sometime soon. Or maybe in 2010.

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Today's Sountrack

Katy Perry - Hot'n'Cold

nineteen days - year two

Last March, my friend Leila and I embarked on a nineteen day long project to mark the annual occurrence of the Bahá’í Fast. It lead to a year long project - Every Morn and Eve - and now, just shy of a year later, here we are again, about to start the Fast once again.
We are both excited to be embarking on the nineteen days project again - a chance to share with all of you our thoughts and photographs during these most special days.
This year, we are adding an additional layer to the project by inviting 19 Bahá’í photographers from around the world to join us - by submitting photographs and thoughts from their daily Fast.

For Bahá’ís, and particularly for me, the Fast is a period of intense reflection - a time to recollect, regroup and gear up for the new year - for the coming of spring for the changing of seasons.

I hope you will come visit over at nineteen days, starting tomorrow.

guest photographer: leili towfigh

Wow. This is it. This is really IT.
Alison's fabulous week at Every Morn and Eve is over and here I am, introducing to you the final guest photographer: leili.

I can tell you, in no uncertain terms, that leili was my main and biggest inspiration when I first started taking pictures. I always admired her work, and when, one rainy New York winter day, I discovered that so many of her photos were taken with a small point and shoot, I suddenly realized that I didn't need to have any fancy equipment to take photographs! Look at what leili is doing!
She has a spectacular eye for details, and her photographs are always multi layered, and unique. Not only that, she is an accomplished artist in so many different mediums...
So it is only fitting that leili join me in this final, last week of this year long project. Thank you leili...

"I'm an educational technologist who likes to make things out of film, paint, paper, bit, byte, pencil and clay. I love beauty, color and texture and am obsessed with fractals and other repeating patterns.


My online portfolio of pictures and words lives here: www.leili.org.


For me, one of the benefits of art is that it can awaken spiritual capacities of discernment and sensitivity. Art reflects the spirit in which it was made.


Until about a year ago, my tiny Sony Cybershot suited me fine. I now use a small PowerShot, a Digital Rebel xti, and occasionally some toy cameras (Holga, Lomo).


My photographs are from Addis, Akko, Alaska, Big Sur, Boston, Bristol, Cambridge, Delhi, Haifa, Ipswich, Kampala, Lincoln, London, Lucknow, Mbale, Medford, Mexico City, Mountain View, Murrell's Inlet, New York City, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Vermont ... "


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Today's Soundtrack
Iron & Wine - Naked As We Came