Thursday, February 14, 2013

A Valentine's Day story [sort of] by me and then The Typist gets contemplative.

This is Stanley.
He's Wellington's new housemate and is just 4 months old.
Hands up if you think Stanley is a bit in love obsessed with me.
In the piccie above,  from L to R: Woody, Milo, Stanley, Daisy and my newest bestie, Pash the lab. Can you see Wellie in the back pretending not to know Stanley?


God help us all when Stanley grows up.



.

.

.


I read this post by Verobirdie a few days ago. Somehow it seems appropriate to share it with you on this Day of Overpriced Roses and Dinners Love. 

It's about a festival in Japan called Hari-kuyo (針供養), that honours old and broken sewing needles and pins for their year of labour. I think it's a story about relationships, respect and love. 

This link [also from Vero's post] will give you a good idea of what Hari-kuyo is about. However, if you want to know more about the ritual and significance of the festival, check out this book by audsomee.  My favourite part is the page on Values.




So what do you think of Hari-kuyo? Or Stanley for that matter? Are you a fan of Valentine's Day? :)


37 comments:

Jan said...

Valentine's Day has gotten totally out of hand with commercialism and guilt.

Tomorrow a bunch of beaten down men will spend money that they will resent because they have to, not because they want to. There is a big difference.

verobirdie said...

Dear typist, the original link was from Susan, at http://plays-with-needles.blogspot.fr/
She is a very inspiring lady, and will be glad her post has reached you.
My ex- husband was born on Feb 14th. Chose that same day to announce he was stepping out of our marriage. It is what I call a wicked sense of humor :-)
Take care :-)

georgia little pea said...

I'm with you JAN! And I'm not speaking as a disgruntled old housewife who won't even be getting a vacuum cleaner this year, and who has her 3rd night in a row of leftover Indian takeaway to look forward to ;)

Dear VERO, thank you for introducing me to Hari-kuyo. I really love the idea of it. The link in my post is to your friend's blog. Your ex was indeed wicked! X

What Remains Now said...

I love the idea of Hari-kuyo. This level of mindfulness and gratitude is a challenge in the modern world with so many things competing for our hearts and attention. I know I battle this every day. Thank you for sharing this. I love the idea of taking time to thank and honor items that have served us well.

Now...Miss Georgia...I think you have become quite the "mother" of the group. You seem to have a very good nature in letting all the pups pile and play on you. It's no wonder you are incredibly popular.

Oh, I almost forgot about holidays! I must say that I live a pretty fantastic life in that my husband and I don't get too wrapped up in holidays. Sometimes we treat each other (not always at the same time) and sometimes we don't. I'm grateful because I can't bear "score-keeping." My family has adjusted to my sporadic ways and sadly, if I get a "score-keeping" friend, I find myself distancing myself from them. I have twinges of guilt over that, but I also figure that I'll never be able to give them what they're looking for, so it's better to just move on. That said...Happy Valentine's Day!

georgia little pea said...

This is such a delicious "comment". I'm going to take my time to savour it. Thank you LORI x

Rose ~ from Oz said...

Oh my that Stanley! 4 MONTHS?? I was about to ask if poor Ms Pea had changed her perfume! She seems to be more popular than ever.
Valentines Day? no never really been into all the hype.
However, I hope you and Cush did something nice anyway. Maybe just a walk to watch the sunset together. That would be nice T.
x

Tootsie said...

What a beautiful post, Typist. Is it terrible that I'm most impressed by Stanley's humping and the dog pile on top of Georgia? What a patient and kind creature Georgia is to tolerate that pile ... and ALL THAT HUMPING! I love those links, too; thank you for broadening my horizons. What does it mean to "pray for 'console'" -- I didn't understand that. Those little needle books; oh my. Wow.

Now I shall eat some more dark, Swiss chocolate. Someone must.

And thanks for your lovely comment on Toots' blog. :)

Yours,
Tootsie's Mom

georgia little pea said...

ROSE, watch a sunset together? BWAH haha! Leftovers, MKR, American Idol. A deeply meaningful evening.

TOOTSIE, Georgia swings from being standoffish to being Miss Congeniality. I think she takes after me. Lindt dark Swiss chocolate is my favourite, with salt crystals. Yum.

I found some sentences in the book hard to understand too LOL. I think she means the women "confess" their grievances so that they can be put to rest with the needles. Maybe?

Patrice and Higgins said...

My mom is not into Valentines day...she tells my dad she does not want to be gushed and loved all over the same day everyone else is....she likes her day to be all about her and special! She does not like to share with millions of other people!! Anyhoos!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

~Higgins

Sherri / 2Rescues said...

Georgia - we suggest you watch out for that Stanley. He seems a bit preoccupied with only one thing. This could get out of control. We do notice that you are significantly larger than him, since he is a mini-dog, and we are sure you can handle it. Sit on him if you must...he seems to like that end anyway.

Your friends,
Lightning and Thumper

From L's and T's mom: I was first confused about the festival of the needles. The most recent festival near here was Mardi Gras - as far removed from this concept of mindfulness and treasuring things as possible. I like the festival of the needles much better. Thank you for sharing.

GizmoGeodog said...

Valentine's Day? Not for me...which I guess you wouldn't know from all the hoopla on my blog this week about the Ball...but that was for fun...In the 'real world' it's ignored at my house as I hate the idea of 'manufactured occasions'... Georgia seems quite determined to snag herself a guy (or 2 or 3) She's such a shameless hussy!

Hari-kuyo was totally new to me...I admire the Japanese for their respect for the 'spirit' in all things, including their tools. I know craftsmen here who honor their tools but not with this type of public occasion...Thank you for introducing me to this unique experience



Taryn said...

That little Stanley is a character! Maybe his name should have been Romeo!

Jean said...

Ms Georgia - are you SURE you've been spayed??? From those photos, it looks like you have the interest of every dog in the park!
I do hope Master Stanley de Humper gets neutered in a couple more months so his testosterone overload won't get him (or some unspayed female) into trouble.

Love the idea of Hari-koyu and the section on Values. We are definitely a throw-away society that thinks nothing of valuing the goods we buy.

As for Valentine's day - nice idea before it became so commercialized. Nothing special going on at my house, though my daughter did phone me at 7:30 this morning (nearly giving me a heart attack to hear the phone ring that early)just to wish me a happy Valentine's day before she headed off for work. And maybe I'll indulge in a piece of chocolate nut brownie for dessert. Yum!

georgia little pea said...

That is so true, HIGS. Anyway, shouldn't every day be a Day of Love? ;)

THUMPER and LIGHTNING'S MOM...but I love Carnaval! (Mardi Gras is your equivalent of it, right?) Hedonistic, great music and dancing, bare butts...it makes me nervous but I still hope to catch it in Rio one day!

***Message from Georgia! ...Excuse me GIZMO, I am not so a hussy. Can I help it if boys throw themselves at me? Besides, there were at least 2 girls there! Hrummph.***

You're right, GIZMO'S MOM, I would never have guessed from your blog LOL. I love the idea that everything in the world possesses a kami that we need to respect. I wonder if talking to the house, trees and washing machine falls into this category, something I do a fair bit ;)

I think he might have to be renamed, TARYN!

georgia little pea said...

Thank goodness Georgia is spayed, JEAN! She does seem very attractive to dogs (as you may have gathered from various other posts over the last 2 years). Seriously, I wonder what it is. Maybe her over-productive anal glands? Surely it can't just be her genial (haha) nature.

I hate it when people call late at night or very early in the morning. I reckon nothing after 10 or before 8. There is definitely a time at which calling someone is A Bad And Frightening Thing! We shared a slice of raspberry coconut cake here ...it was deeelicious.

Anonymous said...

Hello Georgia and Typist,

Today is Petey's designated birthday (his first vet said he was born in February). I picked it because he is sweet like chocolate. That said, I celebrated V Day w/Mr. Boyfriend yesterday to forgo all the hype that occurs in NYC. I did throw a luncheon salute to my sister since she has gone above and beyond taking care of the Parents who were in a bad way.
LOVE the Needle Holiday! Similar to the ways the Balinese think, with everything having a spirit.

And Georgia! You are quite the popular girl! You go girl!

georgia little pea said...

Happy birthday PETEY! I'm glad your mama picked Feb 14 for your birthday and not Feb 29. Did you get CAKE? (This is the most important part of any birthday.) Hugs X

OLIVIA, yes, many old cultures have similar beliefs. Some would call them animistic or pagan ;) but i think those societies had a lot more respect for other life forms and the world they lived in, than our modern ones do.

Cowspotdog said...

I think Stanley needs to get into therapy ASAP.....he's certainly a determined little butt sniffer.

Kari in Alaska said...

Happy Valentine's Day

Stop on by for a visit
Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com

Karen said...

I'm with Jan on this one. I always say to Sean that everyday is Valentine's Day in our house. Sean & I exchanged cute cards and that was it.

Elizabeth said...

I would like Stanley to me obsessed by ME!
He can follow me around any time!

sonia a. mascaro said...

Hi Georgia,
Looks you and your friends had a great time at the park. I can see you are quite the popular girl!
Love the photos.

Valentine's Day in Brazil is named "Dia dos Namorados" and is in June, 12.

Just amazing and lovely this festival in Japan that "honours old and broken sewing needles and pins for their year of labour." Fantastic! I did not know this festival. Thanks for sharing the links. I open the book: just great!

H and Flo said...

Goodness me! I hope they bought you dinner.

H and Flo said...

Sorry, have to leave another comment after having read the other comments... it's not about dogs, but Idol... I don't watch it, so forgive me. Is that woman with the odd coloured lipstick a Thunderbird puppet or is she a real person? I've only seen the ads and can't bring myself to watch it to find out.

georgia little pea said...

Dear BUSTER, I didn't realise you enjoy having your butt sniffed and being humped! Don't you and your friends do stuff like that? You NYC dogs must be much better behaved :)

Querida SONIA, obrigado para ler minhas historias velhas :) Como interessante que seu dia de namorados esta em 12 de Junho! Tenha um grande fim de semana. Muitos beijos X

H and FLO - there are some seriously odd personalities this year. Is it my imagination that the producers love a sob story? I'm so glad that mannish woman with the bavarian hat got dumped last night and I can't wait for the womanish man with the black mourning veil to go too. It's not their androgynous looks I mind, it's their incomprehensible behaviour. The lilac lipstick woman... I can see her in my head but can't seem to place her in the comp. I think there are more weirdos this year and I haven't got any favourites LOL. I wish J Lo and Steve Tyler would come back too, though Nicki is growing on me. Mariah and that softy Urban are so bleah. Wow! This is becoming a post length comment! What be obsessed? Rubbish.

Kristine said...

Hari-kuyo sounds interesting and from what I have briefly read, it sounds like a festival with many meanings. The one I like the most is the consideration of the value of small things. It is my belief that the small things are often more important than the once-in-a-lifetime big things in that they mean more to our daily life. It sounds like those who participate in Hari-kuyo appreciate that as well.

As for Stanley... He is an odd one, but it looks like Georgia was enjoying herself!

ann @ studiohyde said...

You seem to be a bit of a crowd puller Georgia!!

Anonymous said...

Can you imagine what would happen if alcohol were involved?

Anonymous said...

Hey GLP, I hardly know where to start. Thanks for that article on the needles. I'm a crocheter and have broken a number of hooks over the years. Thanks. Puffer Feesh...Kudos to Cushion for even getting that close to such an ugly thing. Whoever dropped it there should be taken out and thrown into a vat of 'em. After seeing the butcher shop...I'm thinking I'll just stay home in the US! LOL And last but by no means least Stanley...Better you than me. Good luck with him. Happy Belated Valentine's Day.......

Barb said...

Georgia, I was sick on Valentine Day! So, my hubby cooked a nice dinner for me the evening after. He and I call some of these observances "Hallmark Holidays" because they've ended up super-comercialized. I'm noticing, Georgia, that you draw others to you. I can certainly see that little Stanley is in love. You may have to put him in his place so he shows you a bit of respect. He's awfully cute, though!

chandra said...

The photo of Wellington standing far away from No-Shame Stanley is absolutely hilarious!

Thank you for introducing me to Hari-kuyo. I love Susan's needle book and its "Broken But Not Forgotten" page. And that pamphlet's design is SO gorgeous. I'll definitely be sharing it with friends.

-c at ddy.

Declan said...

georgia, I hope I can say this to you, cos we're mates and everything.... but I think you might be going to get a reputation as a "tart with a heart" Just sayin..... ;-) Deccy x

LetterstoAndrew said...

It looks like they are all ganging up on you Georgia!! What's up with that?

We should all be grateful and thankful for anything that has served us well. What a lovely idea.

Kirsten (peacefuldog) said...

It does appear that Stanley is nurturing a bit of an obsession there, but that you handled the whole thing gracefully.

I enjoy Valentine's Day as it provides cultural validation for all the things I would be doing anyway, like kissing and hugging the dogs and people around me and consuming wine and chocolate.

That's a lovely tradition you highlight. I have always found that giving thanks for small things elevates the spirit, although I don't remember to do it often enough!

sonia a. mascaro said...

Just great, minha QUERIDA! You answer my comment in Portuguese! You wrote very well! Thank you for your niceness (gentileza).

I enjoy so much to see "old" posts.

In Brazil, the "Dia dos Namorados" is celebrated on June 12, probably because it is the day before Saint Anthony's day, known as the marriage saint, when traditionally many single women perform popular rituals, called "simpatias", in order to find a good husband or boyfriend. Couples exchange gifts, chocolates, cards and flower bouquets.

georgia little pea said...

Dear SONIA, I love practising my Portuguese with you! Sadly, it's getting pretty bad and confused now that I'm studying Spanish.

Thank you for explaining Dia de Namorados. That is so interesting. Of course it's the girl who performs rituals to get a good boyfriend or husband! Soon, it will be the 15th day of The Chinese Lunar New Year and I believe one of the traditions is for girls to throw mandarins into rivers to wish for a good boyfriend/husband. And what do the men do? Nada! Buy expensive chocolates and flowers! LOL :D

Balmain Walks n' Wags said...

Hi Georgia,

I LOVE seeing little Stanley on your blog and I love seeing Welly & Pash there too. All are in my pack of day time babies feel very proud they made it onto your blog.

I must come and check these arvo park visits one day soon.

Calley xxx