As a spinner myself, I always love tales that involve spinning! You are so right that we are losing touch (literally) with reality by no longer spinning, weaving, knitting, sewing, and nålbinding (now there's an ancient art for you!) our own cloth anymore. It is such a meditative act that I find my musings join the fibers as my spindle or flywheel turn. Children and women (mostly) used to spin all the time, between other chores, as they walked everywhere, as the children played. Like spiders, they spun the thread of life as they lived from moment to moment. I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to take yarn I spun on sanity walks for my oldest daughter when she was a toddler and nålbind a hat for her years later. It is taking the thread that was barely holding me together at that time and alchemizing it into something warm, useful, and full of love. Yes, the song is about leaving the spinning for an adventure, but there is something reassuring about her leaving the spinning wheel turning in her absence. She has something solid and sustaining to return home to after her flight. For further reading, you might enjoy this article. https://plymagazine.com/2020/07/a-womans-work-was-never-done-spinning-in-medieval-art/ Some of the paintings are quite amusing!
Oh wow, what an amazing comment! You make me want to learn how to do all of that (and I looked up nålbinding and found some great DIY tutorials! It looks like fun 😄) I used to weave on a little loom when I was younger and I remember enjoying that. Thank you for linking to that fascinating article too, I had no idea what a distaff was! Our female ancestors bring a whole new dimension to multi tasking -- what truly impressive women! I especially loved the art that showed them wielding the distaff like a weapon lol
I got a kick out of the distaff weapons, too! ha ha! Spinning also seemed to be ubiquitous across all classes - a truly non-hierarchical activity. Nålbinding is easy, once you learn how to start, but it's a real challenge to learn how to begin! Watch all the videos you can, if you don't have someone to show you in person. It's extra special to whittle your own needle ;-) (don't make it too sharp! ha!). https://www.en.neulakintaat.fi/1 This Finnish woman has great videos. She goes back and forth between Finnish and English, and I enjoy hearing her speak. I love how ancient it is (the oldest piece they have found so far is 8000 years old!) and that the process is a spiral, a series of loops. It just seems like such a beautiful metaphor for life. I ran into some writer's block yesterday and had to stop and spin some yarn. Maybe working on a loom again, or learning a tactile art like nålbinding can help you sometime when you need it!
Thank you, I’ve bookmarked her site for later! What draws me to it is that you only use one needle. I tried knitting in the past, but I couldn’t get the hang of using 2 needles (I’m very uncoordinated). Taking up a sensory hobby that allows me to use my hands will definitely help, as I tend to be anxious over thinker! Just last week, I downloaded a sample on my kindle for weaving on a little loom because I’d like to get back into it. Funny how the universe gives us little nudges with synchronicities to get their message across 😄
Wow! Don't you just love when you know the universe is speaking to you? (reminds me of Branwen in your Raven Wings story...) I wish you joy and the growing of deep wisdom in your fingertips as you return to weaving!
Thank you so much, that’s very kind of you! 💜 Receiving messages from the universe is such a magical feeling. Now that I am more open to them, I see synchronicities everywhere! It reminds me that we are all connected in the web of life 😊
What a lovely song! I adore Eleanor's acting as Demelza. I had no idea she made music, too. I think I know what I'll be listening to the rest of the week now. Thank you for sharing!
I did sneak out a few times when the raging hormones overcame me, only to discover the end of a cigarette burning there before me in the dark when I so very quietly re-entered the house and shut the door behind me. Was it worth it? I’ll leave that for you to guess. 😉
I love the symbolism of the spinning wheel, of time ever-turning, while also creating. Thanks for sharing the song, too, her voice is a clear bell! I never snuck out, but often had to sneak back in, lol. Lovely poems, a real treat to read. Thank you!
I did, yes, but there were times when I got the hairy eyeball, and a "Get straight to bed before your father wakes up!" comment. :) But that was when I came in extra late, and that was pretty rare. I wasn't a bad kid, I just liked dancing!
And there’s nothing wrong with that 😉 looking back now, I wish I would have gone out more as a teenager, but I lived in a small town and there was really nothing to do lol
I hear you. And there were plenty of Saturday nights I stayed in, too. I saw a quote on a bookmark once, and it really stuck with me, because I never want to miss anything. But since I can't be everywhere at once, lol, I've adopted it as words to live by: "For everything you have missed, you have gained something else." Your nights of staying in as a teen gave you something no one else has. That's how I look at it. :)
I read the poem, then listened to the song, which is lovely by the way, and it seemed to me that the duty and tedious of the spinning was a metaphor of life. Its a great story in that it perfectly captures the mundane and the excitement of love. 😀
As a spinner myself, I always love tales that involve spinning! You are so right that we are losing touch (literally) with reality by no longer spinning, weaving, knitting, sewing, and nålbinding (now there's an ancient art for you!) our own cloth anymore. It is such a meditative act that I find my musings join the fibers as my spindle or flywheel turn. Children and women (mostly) used to spin all the time, between other chores, as they walked everywhere, as the children played. Like spiders, they spun the thread of life as they lived from moment to moment. I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to take yarn I spun on sanity walks for my oldest daughter when she was a toddler and nålbind a hat for her years later. It is taking the thread that was barely holding me together at that time and alchemizing it into something warm, useful, and full of love. Yes, the song is about leaving the spinning for an adventure, but there is something reassuring about her leaving the spinning wheel turning in her absence. She has something solid and sustaining to return home to after her flight. For further reading, you might enjoy this article. https://plymagazine.com/2020/07/a-womans-work-was-never-done-spinning-in-medieval-art/ Some of the paintings are quite amusing!
Oh wow, what an amazing comment! You make me want to learn how to do all of that (and I looked up nålbinding and found some great DIY tutorials! It looks like fun 😄) I used to weave on a little loom when I was younger and I remember enjoying that. Thank you for linking to that fascinating article too, I had no idea what a distaff was! Our female ancestors bring a whole new dimension to multi tasking -- what truly impressive women! I especially loved the art that showed them wielding the distaff like a weapon lol
I got a kick out of the distaff weapons, too! ha ha! Spinning also seemed to be ubiquitous across all classes - a truly non-hierarchical activity. Nålbinding is easy, once you learn how to start, but it's a real challenge to learn how to begin! Watch all the videos you can, if you don't have someone to show you in person. It's extra special to whittle your own needle ;-) (don't make it too sharp! ha!). https://www.en.neulakintaat.fi/1 This Finnish woman has great videos. She goes back and forth between Finnish and English, and I enjoy hearing her speak. I love how ancient it is (the oldest piece they have found so far is 8000 years old!) and that the process is a spiral, a series of loops. It just seems like such a beautiful metaphor for life. I ran into some writer's block yesterday and had to stop and spin some yarn. Maybe working on a loom again, or learning a tactile art like nålbinding can help you sometime when you need it!
Thank you, I’ve bookmarked her site for later! What draws me to it is that you only use one needle. I tried knitting in the past, but I couldn’t get the hang of using 2 needles (I’m very uncoordinated). Taking up a sensory hobby that allows me to use my hands will definitely help, as I tend to be anxious over thinker! Just last week, I downloaded a sample on my kindle for weaving on a little loom because I’d like to get back into it. Funny how the universe gives us little nudges with synchronicities to get their message across 😄
Wow! Don't you just love when you know the universe is speaking to you? (reminds me of Branwen in your Raven Wings story...) I wish you joy and the growing of deep wisdom in your fingertips as you return to weaving!
Thank you so much, that’s very kind of you! 💜 Receiving messages from the universe is such a magical feeling. Now that I am more open to them, I see synchronicities everywhere! It reminds me that we are all connected in the web of life 😊
What a lovely song! I adore Eleanor's acting as Demelza. I had no idea she made music, too. I think I know what I'll be listening to the rest of the week now. Thank you for sharing!
You’re very welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed it! I was excited too when I discovered that she had her own album. Eleanor has such a beautiful voice 😊
Yes. That moment was quite unsettling. But I was young and resilient. It was like a bump in the road. 😊
I did sneak out a few times when the raging hormones overcame me, only to discover the end of a cigarette burning there before me in the dark when I so very quietly re-entered the house and shut the door behind me. Was it worth it? I’ll leave that for you to guess. 😉
Oh no! That must have been unsettling to find someone waiting up for you 😧 I hope you didn’t get in too much trouble...
What a beautiful poem and song ❤️❤️ I never snuck out but I certainly wanted to!
I didn’t sneak out either, I was a boring teenager haha
I love the symbolism of the spinning wheel, of time ever-turning, while also creating. Thanks for sharing the song, too, her voice is a clear bell! I never snuck out, but often had to sneak back in, lol. Lovely poems, a real treat to read. Thank you!
You’re welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed them 💜 Did you ever get caught sneaking back in? 😂
Yup. But I rarely got in trouble. My mom was pretty cool. She'd sometimes chat with me, want to know if I had a good time. :)
It’s awesome that your mom gave you that freedom 😊 sounds like you enjoyed your teenage years!
I did, yes, but there were times when I got the hairy eyeball, and a "Get straight to bed before your father wakes up!" comment. :) But that was when I came in extra late, and that was pretty rare. I wasn't a bad kid, I just liked dancing!
And there’s nothing wrong with that 😉 looking back now, I wish I would have gone out more as a teenager, but I lived in a small town and there was really nothing to do lol
I hear you. And there were plenty of Saturday nights I stayed in, too. I saw a quote on a bookmark once, and it really stuck with me, because I never want to miss anything. But since I can't be everywhere at once, lol, I've adopted it as words to live by: "For everything you have missed, you have gained something else." Your nights of staying in as a teen gave you something no one else has. That's how I look at it. :)
I read the poem, then listened to the song, which is lovely by the way, and it seemed to me that the duty and tedious of the spinning was a metaphor of life. Its a great story in that it perfectly captures the mundane and the excitement of love. 😀
I agree, I love the peek into this slice of life moment that feels very realistic. I’m sure many young women had an experience like this 😄