gathering my medicine, remembering, forgetting, unraveling, repairing, reweaving, doing whatever I want to be joyous and live in peace, beauty and abundance.
Antique jewelry from North Africa. Ethiopian bands, telsums, Tuareg, ivory,
Packing up most of my work clothes
#workflow #farmgirl #farming #freedomgrower
Haven’t spoke about this too much, not sure it’s sunk in yet. Might talk about it, might not. But here’s some of my work clothes. Packing up most of them, especially late season (Autumn though Winter) clothes.
I’ll be taking a year off. I realized a few years ago that I don’t have any clothes that aren’t work clothes, ok I might have a few, but even those can be crossed over to work clothes. Haven’t bought anything for years that can’t be used for work as well. I’m still shell shocked.
Indigo in my life
Just set the dye for this one last night #indigo #mali #mudclothe #giftsfrombeloved
I have been collecting indigo and mud cloth for over 30 years. that doesn’t mean that I have a ton of it, because I’ve given most of it away. I do have a few choice pieces that I’ve kept. Not to say that I don’t continue collecting it.
In order to have and obtain the beautiful things one desires in one’s life, we must go out an obtain it or ask for it when others ask, “what would you like for your birthday? Mother’s Day? Christmas etc….” So, I have an ongoing list updated throughout the year, that lists different pieces of mudcloth, indigo, Antique Tuareg jewelry, linen sheets etc that I love.
Here’s how to set the indigo dye
Hand wash in cold water or use a washing machine set to delicate, cold water. Put the garment in by itself with a little mild soap, I use Dr. Bronner’s, then add 2 ounces of white vinegar. Let it go through the wash cycle, stay close so that you can hear the machine. Once it has drained and begins to refill with the rinse water add 2 cups of white vinegar and stop the machine. Let it sit there for two hours, after the two hours let the washing machine resume it’s cycle. When it’s complete it, take it out and let it line dry. That’s it.
No one you know
she’s not a woman
of the river or sea
not a woman of healers or majik
she is not even a women
not one you know
she is part mist part monster
her mother was lichen and
the long gaze
from too far north
Bat mask, River Congo, Leaves
“When you go to the river to wash your hands, wash all you fingers”. - Mbayero, before going to mbongi, Mekelekele.
Bat mask, Congo River, Leaves
Trees, leaves and flowers
Practicing painting more trees. First time doing leaves and flowers.
Redwood on Christmas evening under a waxing moon
Haven’t painted in 24 years, think I’ll pick it up again.
Painted on Christmas Day under the Redwoods 2020
Four things
Been cleaning, unpacking and repacking. It’s a blessing //maybe? // that I am so good at living as though I need to get up and go at the drop of a hat.
A few must haves for the road warrior:
Yeti 32 oz. tumbler, with handle
Small Yeti cooler (or Ozark knockoff)
Ethiopian wedding bands.
Cherry Amber
Cleaning and preparing, it’s still early in fire season.
I ordered a rooftop cargo bag, roof mat and a net bungee. This is all more preparation for wildfire evacuations. I have to do to, wish I didn’t have to but it’s the responsible thing to go. There is simply not enough room in my vehicle for 3 adults and two full grown German Shepards.
I’m quite exhausted.
What’s left
After walking around here feeling very uncomfortable about all this cleanup, actually it’s not the clean up it’s the unsettling feeling that I get when I look at certain things. There’s just been too many evacuations over the past years. I still have a bag of photos in the vehicle of which three have broken glass frames from last autumn’s 2+ week evacuation. I’m over here thinking, do I bring them back into the house? I can’t leave them in the vehicle for much longer, with all the commuting I do they’ll only get further damage. These aren’t photos that are digital.
I don’t want to loose anymore of my everythings.
Yeah I know, it’s just stuff. But I have lost so much of my everything already and want to and am going to hold on to what I have left.
#wallbridgefire #loss #barebones #holdingon
packing up precious things
You’ll surprise yourself
Today is September 11, 2020. I am just now able to gather some of my thoughts and unpack from 2 Evacuations since August 18th. One was a mandatory evac and the other was a warning to be prepared as the Walbridge Fire gained strength and the winds pushed it towards our village again.
My Jeep is still a mess inside
hopefully I can wash it this weekend and repack my car bugout bag. It’s a lot.
I’m unable to return calls or even talk to people for now. I need time to rest, I’m deeply exhausted from taking care of all the people and animals and all the things. Taking care of myself has always been last. Making changes around that.
It’s going very slow. My throat hurts from the smoke.
It’s interesting when one has to evacuate with no time to linger on thoughts and scenarios of what they might need, what they don’t want to loose, what the important documents are.
