Four topics, one post

 There are times when the design for a tallit comes together in a quick hour. There are other times when a client and I will talk for months  or even years until the design for their tallit comes into focus. The design for Nini's tallit has come together over a long, long period of time. 

If you think of each individual's life as being an orbit of sorts --there are some people who travel in nearly exactly the same orbit that we do. Nini and I have only been in the same physical space a few times but aspects of our lives have intersected over and over again over the course of our lives. Had we grown up in the same city, we surely would have been good, good friends. We share many beloved friends. 

Nini actually spent the formative years of her childhood in Halifax and knew my dear friend Shawna. Although Nini moved to Philadelphian in middle school the place where she feels the most at one with herself and the most connected to God is in Nova Scotia. 

So, Nini and I are not the only ones to find inspiration in the colors of nature in Nova Scotia to tell a deeper story.   The beautiful tartan above is the Nova Scotia tartan.

The official Scottish Registry of Tartans says the following about this tartan.

 This is the oldest Provincial tartan in Canada and was designed in 1953 almost by accident. Mrs Bessie Murray was President of the Halifax Weavers' Guild and designed a trade display on sheep rearing. In it, a shepherd wore a tartan and to avoid showing favouritism she designed a completely new one that proved to be so popular that in 1963 it was adopted as the official provincial tartan. The colours represent the blue of the sea and sky; the dark and light greens of the evergreens and deciduous trees; the white of the rocks and coastline surf; the gold of Nova Scotia's Royal Charter and the red from the lion rampant on the Province's crest. 

The Nova Scotia tartan played a big part of my life. I wore skirts in this tartan from infanthood through college. The tartan will play a small but subtle role in this tallit.

As Nini and I have discussed her tallit she has sent me a series of photos of the landscape that she has taken during the past few summers. Quincy, my home town, was often foggy. But Nova Scotia is much foggier.

Nini wanted the body of the tallit to capture the feeling of fog. We found a purpley grey silk.

Today I began applying fog to the tallit.

This is just the first layer. More will follow. I will also do my best to recreate the look of the water, the dark pine trees and the sky---when it isn't grey and foggy.

And now a new topic.

I found a wonderful dress in our local thrift store.

It's a dark golden beige dress piped with an African wax print and then lined with that same print.

The African print takes a perfectly lovely lace and just transforms it into something spectacular.

I may steal this idea because it is wonderful.

And now, a third topic.

There is a flock of pigeons that seems to have a home base at Broadway and 96th street. There are times when they all gather on a street light of all sit together along the roofline of one of the buildings at the intersection.

 

Suddenly, the whole flock swoops and makes a tour of the intersection stopping to rest on one building or another.

Then they settle down again one one or another of the buildings at the intersection.

During the worst of the pandemic I envied the pigeons ability to congregate in groups. We were all so isolated during that time.  Although most New Yorkers think of pigeons as rats with wings, my envy of their communal life during the pandemic isolation has gotten me to appreciate them as social beings.

And now the last topic...

This was tonight's dinner, butternut squash, batata and white potato with salmon alll roasted in a sweet and hot sauce made with olive oil, honey, hot pepper paste and cider vinegar. It was delicious.