House of Marlowe

Volterra, Italy September 2013

Chains do not hold a marriage together.
It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years.
- Simone Signoret

My heart swelled when we happened upon this wedding celebration in Tuscany last month.... the bride in a beautiful tea-length dress and ballet flats; a simple flower tucked into her hair.... bubbles floating around her and her smiling groom..... 

Today is year 18 for my guy and I.  I was reminded of the above quote over the weekend as we were shown the incredibly time consuming and tedious work that goes into Turkish rug making.  Sometimes years spent hunched over a loom day after day..... carefully selecting colors, creating knots, cutting away the excess, correcting mistakes...  always aware of the valuable silk she's using.  The owner with a surprising tone of understanding and compassion says "when she is feeling well she might accomplish three rows a day; when she is not maybe only two or none at all".  Why does she even bother?  one needs only a glimpse at the end result..... one with a pattern and texture all it's own..... it is beautiful and the accomplishment is a great and satisfying one.... worthy of the effort...