love | Frances Bell

When you cannot string words together as a narrative, turn to textile art

My last post (one of only two since my oldest son Dan Bell died on 1 July 2021) was Loosely connected thoughts on the anniversary of the death of my son Dan Bell – Part 1 , where I wrote about writing, including academic writing (from which I had quickly stepped away when Dan was…

Loosely connected thoughts on the anniversary of the death of my son Dan Bell – Part 1

1. Friday 1 July is the first anniversary of Dan’s death. I find writing very difficult and have done over some time. Still, I know that writing (privately and publicly) is a good way for me to address that difficulty. Writing, thinking, reading, talking with good friends, loving my family and friends, sewing, knitting, quilting:…

Trees, Memories and Hope

This is my first post since December 2020. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, for all of us. If we thought that 2020 was strange, I don’t think that we could have anticipated 2021. In our 2020 Christmas card, the greeting was: With best wishes to you and yours in…

Gradually, then Suddenly – caring and careful responses to COVID-19

“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.” “What brought it on?” “Friends,” said Mike. “I had a lot of friends. False friends. Then I had creditors, too. Probably had more creditors than anybody in England.” https://quoteinvestigator.com/2018/08/06/bankrupt/ The idea of gradually then suddenly was playing around in my…

This is an image of a sunset with the words of a poem superimposed on it. The poem follows in the text of the post

Four Days

Four days Four days to say hello to the twin who was born, and breathed, but was never going to leave the hospital Four days for twins who for thirty eight weeks had shared a womb, to share a room Strong kicks and weak pushes Four days while one twin thrived and the other failed…

Strong as silk

Silk is natural, light, prismatic, gossamer. We know no fibre stronger than silk. One cocoon yields over 700 yards of filament. Silk can be reeled, spun, woven, sewn, knitted, patterned by weaving, printing, stitching, piecing, made into beautiful artefacts, to wear and to enjoy. Silk is beautiful and multiple. Silk can be chiffon, organza, crepe,…