Saturday, January 17, 2009

Pillow book, breathing space and rewards of virtue.

1. All day I have to hand The Pillow Book of Sei Shōnagon. It is a collection of lists and notes about life as lady-in-waiting in 10th century Japan. She still seems so alive a thousand years later.

2. It is a day with plenty of space between each happening.

3. I am annoyed at having to unpick so many stitches -- again -- but I feel better for doing it, knowing that later on I needn't fudge the pattern to make it fit.

Poached egg, acer and bramble.

1. Carefully opening my poached egg so the yolk runs on to the toast. 2. The acer tree -- lime green edged with crimson. 3. Bramble shoots, ...