Ending work on one piece and starting another

 When I put this tallit up on my dressmakers form to take photos for you today 

I recalled our trip home to Quincy from my grandfather's Shiva. I sat next to my grandmother in the back seat of our Studebaker.

 

I took my grandmother's hand

 I smoothed and resmoothed the wrinkles on my grieving grandmother's hand.

Each worn spot on this tallit  is a mark of either Hilary or her long dead great grandfather using this tallit.

I find every mend, each and every wear spot to be deeply moving.

Below are some of the materials for a new tallit that I will be starting after Shabbat.

 I purchased these supplies in the garment district.

I selected the Petersham that I purchased from among ALL of these rolls of ribbon.

I also noticed to new to me architectural details in the garment district.

The first is from 38th Street.

I wish I knew which business was represented by the N and the apples.

This doorway is on Seventh Avenue.

 Today is Friday and I made chicken.

The chicken is being made with a variety of red spices, smoked paprika, sumac cayenne pepper and a bit of black pepper. Below is the chicken after it's spice massage.

I like my chicken well cooked. In our household language, we call this "cooked dead".

I still have to make and herb rich and grain shy tabouleh. the mint and parsley are currently soaking in water to free them from dirt.

I have been living in my building since 1986. Even so, I still notice new things about my building.

The third floor of my building has little Juliet balconies. This was the first time that I noticed the ironwork.

The first floor windows have a fancy bit of stonework embellishment above them. 

Today was the first time that I actually stopped to take a good look at the foliage used in this pretty cartouche. The center medallion is filled with birchbark. The foliage surrounding the medallion is oak leaves and acorns. 

After I got home I looked up the iconography of the two species of trees. Birch is a symbol of new life oaks are a symbol of old age. I was so touched that the architects of my building, George and Edward Blum, gave a visual benediction to the residents of our building. My building was completed in 1911. I still hear their blessing today in 2024.

A lovely secular prayer of thanks.

A secular prayer for peace..

Shabbat Shalom!