Sometimes, despite one's best efforts, life turns into "Hell in a Handbasket". Life goes along so smoothly for so long, and suddenly and abruptly, one is blindsided by misfortune. It can be random misfortune (someone close dies, a storm or a fire destroys a home) or misfortune created or eminating from those around us, or regrettably, by our own bad decisions. Even if someone makes moral (and often tough) choices with their own life and relationships, misfortune hits all of us sometime in our lives. It must be the happy, carefree smoothness of the ride that makes the bumpy ride of the misfortune that much more difficult. It takes a great deal of strength to get past the "why me?", forgive oneself and others, and to count one's blessings. Perhaps that is what misfortune is for: to build compassion for others, and to make us stronger, and make us more thankful for what we have.
I named this basket "Hell in a Handbasket" because I was struggling with this basket as I coped with some turmoil in my life. The spokes of the basket resisted coming together at the base as well as bending upright. In the end, the slightly curved shape of the sides was more interesting than other baskets that I've made. Perhaps the best way to reach a point is not a straight line, but a more accomodating curved line.
The socks are a Christmas present for my sister in law, Wendy. I think that she will like the red wool socks with the graduated colors. It's the second pair of toe-up socks which I've made; an interesting technique that I'll use occasionally. The Cherry Tree Hill socks which I completed a few weeks ago were a present for my Mom's birthday. She loves them! :)
