Friday 15 July 2011


The setting sun lit up angry looking clouds last night.
I held my breath...
thinking it must be hard to breathe in those 
red, red clouds.
 

Talking of red...

In "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"
Betty Smith
writes about six year old Francie learning to do "stitching" with
red embroidery cotton.

"Women passing would stop and cluck in pitying admiration at the tiny girl...pushing the needle in and out of the taut material while Neeley (her 3 year old brother) hung over her to watch the bright sliver of steel disappear like magic and then come back up again through the cloth........You were supposed to stitch a hundred or so of these squares and then sew them together to make a bedspread.  Francie heard that some ladies had actually made a bedspread that way and that was Francie's great ambition.  But though she worked intermittently on the square all summer, autumn found it only half done.  The bedspread had to be saved for the future."

Just made me smile.
The three year old boy noticing the steel not the thread.
Describing is as being magic....I'm participating in Jude's Magic Diaries...
where there is lots of talk about magic.
And last but not least Francie's bold ambition to make a bedspread.


10 comments:

  1. one of my all time favorite books.

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  2. This is one of my very favorite book. Love this description. I read the book when I was in high school (a long, long time ago) - perhaps I should reread it. Thank you.

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  3. i read the book but don't remember it.
    that sky is scary and beautiful at the same time.

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  4. I love that book. I am going to have to dig it out and read it again. Enjoy your weekend.

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  5. I don't know the book, but do like the visual. I have heard of the title though....perhaps one I should seek out.

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  6. What fabulous fabric - what is it?

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  7. I totally love your blog - you are on my blogroll! I'll follow you with joy!

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  8. I think I will have to read this book - don't recall if I have or not, which means it's time to (re)read it! It's funny how things of a similar content pop up all over if you're watching. What a beautiful sky that is. Early June had the most amazing sunsets here.

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  9. I love this...and the crow...!

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  10. I see there are others like me who love books that provide some social history. Having to read Dickens as a child kind of made me that way!

    AM and Nancy - it is about life in Brooklyn at the beginning of 20th century.

    Underatopazsky - that is a lovely piece of linen from a furnishing store. I can see it would look great with some of your silk ribbon on it.

    Clare - so glad you enjoy the blog. I'm coming up for my one year anniversary and am so surprised at how much I get out of this blogging business.

    Suzanna...the crow is fully dressed now and his texture of stitching on cotton on wool is wonderful. I'm now working out how to do some of his surroundings.

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Thank you for taking the time to comment, your thoughts are most welcome.