... What She Said.

I saw Pacific Opera Victoria's production of La Boheme last night - it was delightful. One piece in particular really touched me (surprisingly not 'O Soave Fanciulla' - which was played during our wedding ceremony). 'Mi Chiamano Mimi' is the aria in which Mimi, the consumptive heroine, describes her life to her lover, the bohemian screenwriter Rodolpho.

 

To linen or to silk
I embroider at home or outside ...
I am contented and happy
And it is my pastime
To make lilies and roses
I like these things
That have such sweet enchantment,
That speak of love, of springtime,
That speak of dreams and of visions
Those things that are called poetic. 
Do you understand me?

  



There. That right there is why I love knitting and embroidery and all the other wonderful textile arts. Because they are small, sweet, simple and practical things, but they "speak of dreams and visions, those things that are called poetic." 

As far as La Boheme goes; I still like RENT better, but that's just me and my fondness for high-energy Broadway tearjerkers.