Art Blessings: Petra

A while ago, I wrote about all the ways Silas was blessed with art from friends. Being the second child, some of Petra’s art is second-hand, but she doesn’t seem to mind at all.

Silas loves to lay down by her on the quilt Tina made for him when he was a baby.

Pam’s afghan is just as cuddly for the second baby.

Although Petra was a little bigger than Silas at birth, her feet were a bit smaller than his, so the booties I made for him, which he outgrew in utero, fit her for about a week.

It’s funny, since I definitely have less time now, for anything, but I’ve made more things for Petra than I did for Silas by this age. In addition to the “Baby Carrie” dress, I knit a little sweater before she was born, and made her mobile.

My sister made her a sweater, hat, and afghan. So cute!

Our friend Kirsten Beachy, who wrote a sonnet for Silas, composed this villanelle for Petra. I read it at her dedication. The repeated images of flight seemed especially appropriate for a dedication.

Hatchling

You dream of falling; we dream of your flight
and hold you in our arms, a nestling bird–
is it any wonder that we hold you tight?

–and sigh when your clenched eyes hatch to the light?
You splashed down sleek and small–we later heard–
that morning while we dreamed, from a short flight.

The long-awaited news set us alight,
and here we are with nothing but our words
to gaze with wonder as we hold you tight.

You’ll flit through Eeyore’s house by day. At night
one robin and the flowered mockingbirds
will give you dreams. You’ll have such fancy flights,

You’ll hoard your books like magpies’ treasure–bright
and wondrous troves beneath your wings, new words
piled anew–oh, Petra, hold so tight

onto your branch. Wake to every sight
beyond your nest. We call this place the world.
We will not let you fall, but dream you’ll fly
out soon. ‘Til then, hatchling, we hold you tight.

JoEtta Deaton, who made the sea life painting for Silas, made this beautiful bird painting for Petra.

The scripture is from a different part of Psalm 104 than Silas’ painting. It reads:

Praise the Lord, oh my soul.
Oh my Lord, you are very Great.
You give water to all the beasts of the field.
…
The earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
The trees of the Lord are well-watered…
There the birds make their nests
…
The birds of the air nest by the waters.
They sing among the branches.

It’s designed to be interactive. The birds actually can be moved around and placed in different parts of the painting. I’ll let them explore it when they are bigger…right now, Petra is completely unpredictable and Silas is a little too destructive.