A dear friend of mine has suffered far more than anyone should recently. I wrote this in her honor.  And then, because this is who we are, one friend turned it into some beautiful art, and many of us surrounded our beloved, hurting friend in the oak grove in my front garden and sang to her and spoke these words to her, all in attempt to help her remember that we will do our best to shield her from pain.  It seems a particularly apt thing to post on Valentine’s Day, which I choose to see as a celebration of all kinds of love.

Shelter, Sister

Shelter, Sister, in the arms of your tribe.
Let us drive off all those who harm you.
Let us hold you within our entwined embrace
And evermore shelter and guard you.

Heal, Sister, in the arms of your tribe.
Let us hold you and offer you succor.
Let us bandage your wounds with sacred salve
And evermore heal and protect you.

Rest, Sister, in the arms of your tribe.
Let us cover you and sing to you softly.
Let us sit by your bedside to ward off bad dreams
And evermore rest here beside you.

© 2016 Amy Ripton

I know I haven’t been posting, but oh have I been living.  We got a puppy, and we’ve done tons of work on our new old house, and I’ve been teaching and writing and making some things.  We are gearing up for our annual trip to Mississippi and a number of other fun events, and I am excited for what is in store.  I think, if I can stay motivated, this site will become more and more dedicated to a broader view of my research and writing and other pursuits and less about knitting.  It’s not that I knit any less–it’s just that I passed some sort of milestone a while back and most projects feel more comforting and less exciting.  I guess I’ve learned a lot of skills.  I know I have become more confident about my ability to teach knitting.  And since I adore teaching, that has been a boon.

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