How’s THIS for a fortune, Cookie? LovePeopleBeKind, spinning bags of yarn into gold

 

Years ago, I found the message in a fortune cookie (somewhere in Minneapolis, based on how old that paper taped by my sewing machine looks)..
It reads: “You will be traveling and coming into a fortune”. Moral of the story? PLANT THOSE SEEDS and keep nurturing them.

Now, all these years and waters under and over and around bridges later, I encountered that same fortune-laden scrap of paper again, still taped to my machine (which had been in storage for a time). We see things through the lease of our lives. More comes into view, more goes out of view. Things hove into and out of sight. Thank heavens for that merciful winnowing process! one could go mad were we to be faced in one moment with all the information and events running through the course of our lives. I find that this helps me accept the times and tides of things. Some times are more restful; other times seem more busy and laden with rich experiences. The restful times give us pause to ponder those others.  It works out just fine.

So… why talk about all this right now? I am prompted by my upcoming journey to Minnesota. I’ll be giving a presentation about the #LovePeopleBeKind Crochet Heart project that has become a part of my life during the last couple years. It’s quite a way to meet people, break the ice, have a conversation with a total stranger. In a moment or two, a stranger no more, but a friend, or at least a momentary acquaintance, both of us to go further in our directions in the world changed, even if in only the smallest way, by the interaction.

I get my yarn for this project from #KnittyCityYarnShop in NYC. It’s a lovely place. If you haven’t yet been there, do stop in sometime. Pearl and the gang are quite the lovely bunch of people. This Friday 23august2019 I bring my presentation to #NorthfieldYarnShop in Northfield, MN… another such lovely place where people meet, knit, crochet, talk about fiber and about life.

SO… the story of the photo collage in this post…
Bottom Right Image: those old and wise words from a long-ago fortune cookie, singing to me as my sewing machine did the same, enticing to places of dream and perhaps travel;
Upper Right Side Image: prepping for a trip to Norway this summer, where I knew I would meet a couple hundred new friends (and I did! there are now 500 little hearts, making their way about the world), I picked up 2 big bags of the heart yarn;
Center Image: attending a lecture class at the University of Oslo #UiO I noticed that someone had carved a heart into the desk where I was sitting. Of course, I grabbed the moment to take a photo of one of my hearts next to it. hmmmmm I wonder to whom I gave that particular heart and where it now resides…;
Left Side Image: Having just picked up all that yarn from Knitty City, I made my next stop to a friend’s place on Manhattan’s UWS. The elevator there is small and shiny, inviting a selfie. I love how hazy the image is.. I was REALLY tired by that time, getting ready for travel. But it was all worth it.. A FANTASTIC time being in another place, doing some singing, some knitting, studying the language, enjoying the people. So… that’s my book-report on “what I did on my summer vacation” og det var helt fantastisk!

n.b. In the title of this post, I mention “spinning bags of yarn into gold”. In case it’s not screamingly clear, that gold is PEOPLE. Thank you, lovely people! 

If you find yourself in the vicinity of Northfield Yarn Shop this weekend, swing on by. I’ll make you a heart and we can shake hands 🙂

Here’s something on their blog about the weekend’s activities:

 

 

 

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