December 29, 2020

A cold moon...

“Snow was falling,
so much like stars
filling the dark trees
that one could easily imagine
its reason for being was nothing more
than prettiness.”

— Mary Oliver

Mother Earth has taken a deep inhale and settled into her long slumber… finally, the prairie and woodlands are covered with winter’s grace.

Nature’s pause… wintertide. Rolls in, stays for awhile… longer than some like, never long enough for others…

when the tide of winter retreats, new growth and life will spring forth…

For now, we rest, pause, realign…

here.

Project Peace 2020… peace in place. So much to ponder…

the ideas of what it means to find peace in place keep entering my mind; perhaps there will be a continuation.

As I reflect on the 21 days of peace in place, two comments/thoughts have stuck with me. One was a specific comment in response to post about the moon, the other was a thought expressed several times by multiple people.

the moon… here we are on the last full moon of 2020. The December full moon is most commonly referred to as the “cold” moon. The specific comment that continues to occupy my thoughts is that every person that has ever walked this earth has lived under the same moon. For thousands and thousands of years, people have looked up into the night sky and seen the same moon that we see today. A thought filled with awe and wonder.
peace in place… the thought expressed by several over different days is that instead of looking for peace in so many places, perhaps we need to let peace into our lives. These comments really spoke to me… and I thank you for your words.

Where do we go from here?

On the 21st day of Project Peace, I mentioned I plan on writing at least once a month in the year 2021. As I contemplated that idea, I struggled with “when.” The first of the month, the middle, the last? The first Monday? And then I thought about the moons and realized the postings will follow the moon.

Full moon… releasing. On this day of each month, I’ll post updates, thoughts, what’s on my needles, books, etc.

New moon… new beginnings. On this day of each month, I’ll have details about a new pattern. On months, where there isn’t a new pattern, I’ll visit an older design and share the inspiration that led to the design (a suggestion/request) of a reader that wanted to know more about how each design comes to be.

And in between the new and full moon, there may be a surprise update.

For each full moon of 2021 in honor of peace, I’ve decided to commit to lighting a candle (or campfire when applicable) on that evening. It’s not a big commitment however, I want to be very intentional each month about honoring peace for self, others, and the Earth. Please consider joining me. If you want to take it to the next level, consider joining the Peace Fire group.

Thank you to everyone who posted a comment during Project Peace 2020. Whether it was once, twice or 21 times, the level of engagement was truly phenomenal. Some great suggestions were provided for how we sustain this for next year’s Project Peace. Lots to think about…

Day 21 give-away recipient: Mary Auxier. I’ll be sending you 2 skeins of fingering weight yarn to make the Metanoia Wrap along with a few knitting notions.

21 days of posting: Ruth Ann Neubold. I’ll be sending you some yarn, a project bag, some of my favorite herbal tea and a few knitting notions.

Thank you to everyone for all your amazing comments. I’ll be back on Friday to share some thoughts from 2020 and what this means for the Healthy Knitter in 2021.

After running a marathon, one never commits to running another… so too, it is with Project Peace. It takes hours of preparation, thought, expense, and energy during December…

so I’ll rest, recharge and realign and see what that means for Project Peace 2021.

peace is here,

Christina

December 21, 2020

Day 21... a place

by Christina

And here we are… here.

On the darkest day of the year, a brief moment in time when the sun will pause before spending more time each day in the northern hemisphere.

Today, marks our last day of our 21 day sojourn with peace… perhaps, it is not an end just a pause like the sun, as we move forward with intention and new ideas on how we can cultivate peace in our world.

Knitting… such a simple act, one stitch followed by the next, lined up in columns of stitches, twisting and turning, openings here and there, ultimately creating a beautiful fabric to warm the recipient.

The fiber provided by the sheep, the maker, a giver of time, the recipient… well, who knows how they respond to the gift… it’s their choice…

knitting … one stitch at a time from one continuous fiber…

knitting does not promise to be easy…

knitting does not promise to be without mistakes and flaws…

knitting does not promise to be a constant state of euphoria and harmony…

and so it is true with peace…

A place of peace…

There is this place, a place on the edge of the prairie…

where the prairie begins to fade into the northern terrain of Minnesota.

Where those that now live on this land, the farm that has been in a family for over 5 generations… are no longer “owners” yet rather stewards and caretakers of this place.

Where every intentional act leads to the restoration of the land to it’s native tall grass prairie… to provide the seed bed deep in the soil a chance to once again flourish.

A place where the inputs are love and hard-work and a commitment to peace… saying yes to old and honorable ways that respect others and the Earth.

Saying no to the chemicals, the machines, and the controlling of nature for personal gain…

a place where the food is simple and does so much more than sustains one’s physical body… it nourishes the soul…

where one drinks tea dried from the grasses of the prairie…

a place to gather around a bonfire on the top of a hill under the huge night sky… stories shared of those from long ago, of the day’s adventures, and dreams for the future…

a place where one honors the people that lived on this land hundreds of years ago… the land of the Dakota. Embracing the indigenous ways of knowing and being…

a place of healing… the land and the people.

a place where trees are planted for protection, for food, in memory, and community.

Everything here has a purpose… the cattle and the goats are the heart and soul of this place. They manage the weeds, they eat the spring grasses which allows for the summer grasses to flourish…

It is here that I feel called to lay down on the earth and gaze up at the open sky…

to honor and learn from those that have gone before us…

to be here, very here…

and to know that this is the path forward…

a place of peace.

Peace… cultivating right and just relationships with self, others, and the Earth.

Peace doesn’t promise this will be easy…

Peace doesn’t ever say we won’t have heartache…

Peace doesn’t ask us to wait for it to show up…

peace is here.

I was asked early on about “world peace” and if I’d get to that topic…

and yes, with each small act of intentional peace…

cultivating our own right and just relationships with self, others and the Earth…

We build a house one brick at a time, from the ground up… this is how we work towards “world peace.”

Peace tip #21

Write your own peace story… in a tiny zine. Here are some instructions on how you can make the cutest little “book.” All you need are scissors and 1 piece of 8.5”X11” paper and a pen. There are lots of great resources on the web for making zines including videos.

What’s your peace story? Are there tips you want to remember from the past 21 days? A story you want to write and share with others? Perhaps you want to illustrate the pages… maybe it’s just a few key words to remember. Make it your own….

Updates

World-wide knit for peace day… today is our group-proclaimed day to knit for peace. I have a dream that we will someday spread this activity throughout all the knitting land… so today, knit in solitude, gather in a socially-distanced, masked-up small group, or a virtual meet-up… today, knit with intention for peace.

Our 3rd give-away… in my stash, I’ve found 2 wonderful skeins of fingering weight yarn in contrasting colors that would be beautiful in a Metanoia wrap. I’d love to send them to a new home. I’ll announce the recipient on Monday 12/28. Post a comment on Day 21 by 12/26 in response to the following…

What is your biggest a-ha moment from the past 21 days related to peace in place?

Did you post a comment every day for 21 days? I’m thinking the answer is yes for at least 50 of you… Send me an email (thehealthyknitter at gmail dot com) letting me know that you made a comment on the post for every day. In the subject line write “21 days of comments.” Let me know one thing you liked about Project Peace 2020 and what you’d like to see more of in Project Peace 2021. Email me by 12/26…

Thank you to everyone for all your engaging, thoughtful, and inspiring comments over the past 21 days.

What’s next?

I’ve been working on some plans for 2020… I’m not yet ready to detail them all (plus this post is already long enough)…

I’ll share some of what I’m planning next Monday. I will let you know that I plan to be present in this space at least monthly in the coming year.

December 20, 2020

Day 20... wisdom

by Christina

“Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.”

— Herman Hesse

Here we sit, for a moment’s time on the cusp of the great annual turning… from dark to light.

A moment to pause and be still.

To be in this moment of rest…

And as I reflect on the time since the last transition of dark to light, it feels a bit of a blur… a foggy memory.

What has 2020 brought us? Any closer to peace or does it all seem be unravelling like an unnoticed dropped stitch or that ball of yarn that escapes, rolling rapidly across the floor picking up all the dust bunnies along the way?

A year ago, I committed to taking photos of the trees… it was to be a photo a month. Yet the more I visited, I knew I had to return. Over and over again which turned out to be more than just a photo a month.

Those trees… oh, those trees. Many a conversation we’ve had throughout the year and much they’ve given me to ponder.

As I stood in front of the trees, other walkers would stop and ask “what do you see up in the trees?” “What are you photographing?”

I’d reply, “the trees, that’s what I see.”

“huh…” and they’d walk on.

The wisdom from the trees…

Here…

Just because it looks the same [as January] doesn’t mean that’s what’s happening behind the scenes…

There’s always an opening…

Allow yourself to feel your emotions

Flourish where you are planted…

Dance like no one is watching…

Even when life seems overwhelming… there’s light.

Early mornings are filled with magic…

Change can be a good thing…

Nature’s way of paying it forward…

Let go…

Rest, restore, renew…

When I look back at the year through the eyes of these trees… I see is beauty, comfort and a place of refuge.

And yes, they too, have weathered a horrific storm, the derecho that ripped through the Midwest on August 10 ripping the crowns from 1000’s of trees. The trees version of the coronavirus (corona = crown)…

Yet, here they are to share their story…

one of beauty and loss,

one of strength and agility,

a story of resiliency and love…

a tale of peace

in place.

Peace tip #20

Each day for the past 19 days, I’ve typed out the numbers of the day. Last night, I read an email saying the solstice was on Monday. I thought “whoops, they have a typo… it’s on Tuesday.” Imagine my surprise when I thought “tomorrow I will write day 20’s post and it’s on a Sunday.” Yikes, Monday is the 21st… I’m not ready for the amazing exchange that has developed in this community to come to a halt. This truly has been an inspirational Project Peace… because of all of you. The sharing of stories, memories, feelings, emotions has been deeply moving. So, I thank everyone for their willingness to engage.

Each tree is an independent being… yet connected in a community. So too, are we… connected and that’s how peace amplifies.

Today…let’s participate in a collective think tank… there are so many ways that trees can represent peace. We’ve shared stories in the past few weeks about trees that are special to us … let’s go beyond the stories.

How do trees represent (symbolize, embody) peace? If you want to get super creative… perhaps think of prompts that correspond with each of the months presented above.

Thank you… from the trees.

Here’s a fun knitting, tree-related activity. I recently discovered the cutest pattern for some knitted trees. I’m hoping to create a forest someday… it will take me awhile. Here is the link to the pattern or even a cute kit from the Shilasdair Yarn on the Isle of Skye.

Updates

2nd give-away recipient announced: Heather Sharp-Keyes!!! please send me an email: thehealthyknitter at gmail dot com Thank you to everyone who continues to post… even if it’s just one time, it’s one additional step to saying “hello to peace.”

3rd give-away revealed on 12/21 (tomorrow). Don’t forget to make a plan for knitting in peace on 12/21… in solitude, a socially-distanced gathering, or a virtual meet-up. Send photos of how you celebrate World wide knit for peace day. I’d love to start a collection of photos!!!!

December 19, 2020

Day 19... a sense

by Christina

“If you don’t know where you are, you don’t know who you are.”

— Wendell Berry

Last spring when the pandemic brought our world to a halt, I walked through the woods looking for ways to accept "shelter in place.” While I am fully aware of the ravaging effects imparted by an infectious disease as this is how I'd lost my father only 2+years prior, I immediately felt lost.

The prairie is not my place... Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful place. I've come to love so many things about the prairie, but it's not my place of peace. Being able to travel to the mountains or to the water's edge during the summer months is my way of accepting where I live. Now, with the pandemic, I knew I had to make peace with this place.

Shortly after returning from a visit to commune with the trees, an email arrived announcing a writing class... "sense of place." I signed up. If I couldn't wander in far-away lands, I'd have to write my way into finding peace in this place. I spent the next 4 weeks writing and meeting weekly with a wonderful group of people led by our writing guide, Erica Wheeler. I found myself writing about "peace in place" and this is where the theme for Project Peace 2020 came to be.

Today’s post is from a conversation that Erica and I recently had about “peace in place.”

Erica is a writer, songwriter, guide... a beautiful soul! She exposed me to new ways of thinking, new authors, ones I'd read before but forgotten about, and provided a path for me to explore. I asked her if she would be willing to share her perspectives on the phrase "peace in place." Here's what she had to say...

Christina: Your writing courses and virtual retreats are all about cultivating a “sense of place.” What does this mean to you?

Erica: I think for each person, their sense of place is unique. It comes from their experiences and knowledge— what they know and and what they feel. It’s an integrative, meaning making process that is ongoing. Sense of place is something you can cultivate no matter where you are. And like any relationship, it will continue to evolve over time. You start to make more sense of a place as you get to know and experience it more— by spending time with it, following your hunches, being curious, asking questions. And by drawing on your own bank of memories, connections and stories.

Christina: When you think of the word "peace," what comes to mind?

Erica: Centered. Grounded. Open. I think it’s like a state of being we keep coming back to. Nature is always in a state of motion and rest. Music is also movement to resolution, tension and release. I’ve been working on the idea myself that we can bring an inner state of peace into whatever we do. Jazz musician Miles Davis said about music "It's not the notes you play, it's the notes you don't play.” I think we’ve all been exploring this year what it means to have the space, the pause, that helps us find that center point in our lives.

Christina: When someone feels disconnected from the place they live, what are some suggestions you might provide to help others get connected to place?

Erica: Generally I think it’s about slowing down and tapping into our senses in the present moment and being curious about where we are. Back in April I created a program called “Grounded in Place” as a response to this very question. So many people were feeling that shelter in place meant being grounded, often in places they didn’t really want to be. And I thought "being grounded" is not such a bad thing.” During the first practice of slowing down and tapping into your senses (I call it “Check your Earthmail”) a participant who had recently had heart surgery said it was the first time they had felt their heart and sense of presence and peace since then. And recently when I did the program with a group of professionals who work at parks and museums and other places of great significance, several said they knew a lot about the places they worked, but not about the nature in their backyard, or the reason for the name of their street or town. It helped people slow down and connect to right where they are. That building of knowledge and experience deepens their sense of place. Also, in the writing classes we work on exploring the touchpoint people have had in their lives. By writing about places and experiences, that connection and bond also comes to life. I believe everyone has stories of place and belonging, waiting to be remembered, evoked and revealed.

Christina: What does the phrase "peace in place" mean to you?

Erica: I think it means finding your place. That can be an inner state of well-being you bring into any situation. It can mean seeking out places that bring out a particular quality in you. Or can mean making peace with a place by finding ways to connect. Little spots that feel good. Little things you are curious about or notice. It’s hard when places feel so compromised or desecrated. Where everything is homogenous and functional, but not very unique to that place. I remember the first time I visited the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas. I learned about how when they burn the prairie grass each year, they’re never sure what seed will grow, and which flowers will come up. That idea enchanted me. It made me think that under all the pavement in the cites and towns there was prairie soil filled with seeds waiting to grow. That story is about how everyplace has these layers of time and story—waiting to be seen, known and experienced. Just knowing that made me feel a deeper connection to that place. And I guess all that is to say that when I feel unsettled or un-peaceful, it’s really when I have no sense of the place— and I’m just noticing what I don’t like. Learning and connecting more brings me a sense of peace about where I am. There’s always more than meets the eye - to people and places alike.

Peace tip #19

Here’s a gift for everyone from Erica. May this song bring you a sense of [peace in] place. On your next adventure, meander, saunter or stroll outside, using some of the best advice I learned from Erica “leave your guide book at home and just be curious.”

Thank you Erica!!!!

Be curious. What’s one new thing you observed today while outside that you’ve never noticed before?

Updates

Thank you to all who shared a story, memory, or connection to peace and potatoes. Such delightful stories. If you have a moment, please take the time to read through some of the comments from Day 18, “a potato.”

I would like to follow-up on one particular comment… in my attempt to keep the post concise and linked with peace, it could be interpreted that I think the Irish potato famine was due to only planting potatoes. The reasons for the great famine were multi-faceted… the cause was not a monocrop. A great resource was left in the comments. I’ll be adding this to the Day 18 post so that anyone who wants to learn more about the potato famine will have a great place to begin. Thank you “R” for this fantastic addition. It is genuinely appreciated.

With all of that, let me just plant a tiny little seed… regardless of the reasons, any time a civilization (culture, group of people) relies on a monocrop (or two), the food system is weakened and major problems ensue.

3rd give-away revealed on 12/21. Don’t forget to make a plan for knitting in peace on 12/21… in solitude, a socially-distanced gathering, or a virtual meet-up. Send photos of how you celebrate World wide knit for peace day. I’d love to start a collection of photos!!!!

All of today’s photos are from my walks this summer in and on the Iowa prairie.