Precious

Juniper Judith and Daisy Marie 11 days old

born in Ottawa on December 28 2022 to Grace and Tim

Ned and I are grateful that we were here over Christmas and into the New Year to witness this miracle, and support this new family.  Twins are so much. We are blessed.  

amulets and recipes

Sarah's first amulet with red thread protection

An amulet is a device, the purpose of which is to protect by magical means.
Amulets in the form of triangles are ubiquitous.
Their power is boosted with the addition of coins or embroidered patterns.
Triangle amulets can hang from a belt or purse or be pinned to a blouse.
They can be carried in a pocket.

Sarah's amulet embroidered with the Ukranian symbol for stamina and health, the branch of a fir tree

Triangular amulets for protection of lone travelers are made from plain fabric, crudely stitched.  (Gold or silver triangular earrings are also amulets).

quilt back hand stitched by April

There are many aspects of textiles, not just pattern that are protective, such as thread itself.

stripes and diamonds by April

The following motifs are in themselves amulets.
Star, tree of life, cross, hand, labyrinth, eye, and magic square.

triangles and nine patches by zoe

Confusion is an effective weapon against whatever the demon is.
Pockets out of alignment or false, small irregular details, complicated dense patterning,
all these serve to perplex.

hand stitched crosses by Sarah

Embroidery on edgings or seams of garments,
embroidery around pockets and over breasts are all used
to prevent disease-carrying spirits from reaching the body.

chocoolate chip cookies by Emily

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cream until fluffy 1 cup butter, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar
Add 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla and continue to beat until fluffy
Fold in  2 cup flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
Fold in 1 or 2 cup chocolate chips
Drop on ungreased cooke sheet by teaspoon and bake 350 degree oven 12 minutes or so
Slightly under-bake - when removing from oven slam the cookie sheet on counter or stove top
Dough can be refrigerated.

yellow cake by moi

Scratch Yellow Cake
pre-heat oven to 375 degree and prepare cake pan (9"square) with butter and dust of flour
Sift 2 1/4 cup cake flour with 3 tsp baking powder into mixing bowl, add 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp salt
Cut 1/2 cup soft butter into the flour, then add 2/3 cup of milk and beat for 2 minutes with electric mixer.  Scrape bowl often with rubber spatula.
Add 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla and 1/3 cup more milk.  Beat 2 more minutes.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.

star web by April

Solar motifs of circles and stars are powerful.

hand stitched amulets by sarah, stars and each stuffed with salt

Cut two triangle shapes from cloth you have on hand.
Sew the sides together but leave a small opening so that you can add garlic, salt or a written prayer.
However, the triangle by itself is powerful enough.  It has sharp points.

The text in this post is paraphrased from
Sheila Paine's book Amulets: Sacred Charms of Power and Protection

The images of sewing and cookies were sent to me by young women who are staying home this week.

Take care of yourselves dear ones.
(the recipe for chocolate icing is in the comments)

It's only a marble

I retrieve my blue cat's eye from where it's been lying all winter in the corner of my bureau drawer.  I examine it, holding it up so the sunlight burns through it. The eye part of it, inside its crystal sphere, is so blue, so pure.  it's like something frozen in the ice.  I take it to school with me, in my pocket, but I don't set it up to be shot at.  I hold onto it, rolling it between my fingers.  
"What's in your pocket?" says Cordelia.
"Nothing," I say.  "It's only a marble."
It's marble season; everyone has marbles in their pockets.  Cordelia lets it pass.  She doesn't know what power this cat's eye has, to protect me. 

I've begun to feel not gladness, but relief.  My throat is no longer tight, I've stopped clenching my teeth, the skin on my feet has begun to grow back, my fingers have healed partially.  I can walk without seeing how I look from the back, talk without hearing the way i sound.  I go for long periods without saying anything at all.  I can be free of words now, I lapse back into wordlessness, I can sink back into the rhythms of transience as if into bed.

These words are from chapter 27 of the novel Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood.  They are the voice of a nine year old girl who grows up to be an artist.  The top paragraph reminds me how each of us need and find personal amulets, the lower of my own feelings when I leave the city and come back to my rural home.

the images are of two antique Turkish towels I was able to view close up when we were in Chicago. They are part of the school of the art institute's textile collection.