Endurance

I had begun this post last night but then just seamed to run out of steam. But then 4 am every morning makes for an early wake up call and when you add all of the activities that I have been trying to squeeze into a day I guess that is to be expected.

The Houston quilt show is now a fete accompli and I can now post my 2006 Journal quilts. I must say that I began the project this year with no real direction and no idea about what I wanted to create. I had a vague idea that I wanted each little piece to tell a story in some way and had even considered writing a short story about each piece. In fact I did start that process but as it goes with some things I ended up dropping the ball on that for now. It is still a thought that I would like to revisit.

January was a very bleak month and I wanted to try to convey something about having fortitude and being able to withstand the harshness of winter. In the course of my readings that month I came across the fact that the Japanese ascribe certain meanings to the symbols that they use in their art and that some symbols are use to specifically represent certain times or seasons of the year.

For example winter is often depicted by the use of the imagery of pine, bamboo and plum blossoms. Pine and bamboo both represent endurance. Pine also represents good luck, happiness and longevity. Bamboo imparts strength, nobility, purity, honesty and serious character. Part of the reasoning behind the symbolism is that pine and bamboo are two things that keep their color and leaves even in the harshest of winter weather.

The symbolisms of the plum blossoms are very special to me. They represent new hope and longevity. It seems that plums blossom on branches that have not yet put on their new leaves for spring. The imagery is that the plum has such confidence and hope for what is to come-Confidence and hope that the new blossoms will bear fruit in the coming year. How is that for beating the winter blues?

It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow. —Robert H. Goddard