Late in 2018 I had promised a tapestry to my daughter for her birthday. She would have been 43. She loved Aberdeenshire, especially around Bennachie, and her first employments were in property management for the National Trust for Scotland. Following Aileen's death on Christmas Eve I decided to fulfil my promise and design and complete her tapestry.
The view is of Bennachie. Her favourite view was from Castle Fraser, were she was property manager for a few years; another view she enjoyed was from Garlogie overlooking Loch Skene. The two views are collated in the tapestry, which pictures the shire landscape in summer and autumn. The colours of gorse, bracken and heather, the blue and dusk of a late evening, the loch and the farmed landscape are all reflections of her love for this countryside.
The tapestry is a traditional half cross stitch, worked free hand in stranded cotton. It isn't meant to be a photo; it's more an impressionist celebration of a landmark familiar and loved. The loss of Aileen from our family leaves an unfillable space in our lives. And every view of Bennachie is a reminder of her, the combined ache of loss of our loved lass, and gratitude to God for the place she still holds in our lives and hearts. She would have loved this tapestry.
It is beautiful. It truly displays both your skill as a needleworker and your love as a parent, as well as the wonder of God's glorious creation. I keep looking at it and seeing something fresh.
My prayers are with you both - especially tomorrow, when so many are revelling in the joys of family life- and the aching pain of absence is even more acute.
Posted by: ANG ALMOND | March 30, 2019 at 06:14 PM