Viva la Revolution

VINTAGE CROCHET
ACCUSTOMED, CEREMONIOUS

Vest made back in the 70s by my Grandmother Adeline Carriker;
scarf by my mother Mary Carriker
Bonus: Red, White & Blue for the July Holidays!

Earlier this month, Gerry and I needed costumes for a 70th Birthday Party with a 1970s theme, to be held over the 4th of July. Luckily, I still have an assortment of these crocheted vests that were all the rage during my junior high through college years. Just in case anyone suspects that only nerds wore crochet back then, take a look at all these groovy options -- even for guys! Crazy times! My mom and grandma must have worked overtime, crocheting nonstop to keep us girls in style. I'm pretty sure that my sisters and girl cousins and I had some version of practically everything on this page! (Not my brothers, however! They weren't that hip! Haha!)

The nice thing about the all - American 4th of July color scheme is that it means you're all set for Bastille Day as well -- the crocheted vest, the red, white, and blue twinkle lights, the miniature Eiffel Tower. Apparently, even George Washington observed the occasion of French Independence as well as our own, being the proud possessor -- thanks to the Marquis de Lafayette -- of the confiscated Key to the Bastille! Who knew?!

The sad thing about July 14th this year, after seeing the White House stormed on January 6th, is that somehow Bastille Day just doesn't feel as fun as it used to. There has to be a better way than storming!

Still, it's only right, on this blog of literary connections, to observe the day with a poem in honor of Paris, by one of my favorite poets and lifelong friends, who has written so beautifully of Paris:

Proust's Way: July 1991

Across the street from our hotel
and down a block or two, a door
opens onto a courtyard where Marcel
may have stepped upon a rough flag-
stone that triggered a host of things
he never knew he would recall.

Walking by the door, we recall
Guermantes's way and the count's hotel,
Swann's folly and all sorts of things
still existing beyond the door.
On evenings as we pass, the flag
of France is taken down. Marcel

is resting in his room. Marcel
remembers us while we recall
exactly what he said the flag-
stone summoned forth. At our hotel
we don't exactly close the door
on the chance he may be right: things

past have a way of making
now seem a bit more real. Marcel
seldom ventured beyond his door
in later years. Total recall
was obsession and love. The hotel,
on the 14th, displays its flags

for the troops of Desert Storm, flags
that have seen stranger things
than Bush at Mitterand's hotel.
At night not far from here, Marcel
sat in Square Louis to recall
better days. The mind is a door

that opens to many bells, a door
that swings on memory. A flag-
stone once caused Marcel to recall
involuntarily the things
that were his world and ours. Marcel,
we owe you more than a hotel

door labeled where he wrote. The things
that flag our minds are mute. Marcel,
no total recall in our hotel.

by American Poet Jim Barnes (b 1933)
in Paris: Poems by Jim Barnes

******************

Click to read more Bastille Day poems

Additional Bastille & Independence Day Posts
from previous years:

Bastille Day: Is There A World You Long To See?
Two Poems for Bastille Day
Eagles is Freedom
Carriker Barrel
Viva la Revolution

No More Forever
Andrea Dworkin
Liberté, égalité, fraternité!
If I Had a Hammer
Happy Bat - stille Day!

Indpendence Day 2009
Resident Alien
Red, White & Blue Pie
Who Needs Fireworks?!
May God Bless and Keep the Upstart Americans
Loving America the Al Franken Way
American Tune
Practice Pysanky, Practice Resurrection, Practice Revolution
I Pledge Allegiance

We managed the 70s and the 4th all in one outfit!

Accessorizing

Arriving in Style!
By land or by sea!

Thanks to Magan's Crochet Corner for giving expert advice when I inquired about the possibility of somehow turning all my old vests into an afghan. Magan advised to leave them as they are: "Crochet is having a comeback!" She was right! Thank goodness I resisted the temptation to unravel what turned out to be the perfect partywear! If you save something long enough . . . it might become cool once again!

In addition to vests, my mom specialized in large crocheted afghans, several still in use today by various members of the family; and Grandma Carriker made the best crocheted wagon wheel pillows, sadly all worn out.

Next Fortnightly Post
Wednesday, July 28th

Between now and then, read
THE QUOTIDIAN KIT
my shorter, almost daily blog posts
www.dailykitticarriker.blogspot.com

Looking for a good book? Try
KITTI'S LIST
my running list of recent reading
www.kittislist.blogsppot.com