Sometimes it just feels right to put on my rubber boots and go out to wander. My lupine patch out in the scrubby meadow persists and I’m fascinated by how perfect drops of water form in the center of the leaf whorls. I let myself imagine that I meet Miss Rumphius out there and invite her in for tea. (This afternoon I read about the real Miss Rumphius .)
Vermont’s state flower, red clover, has begun to bloom too. I remember planting scads of clover seeds in anticipation of our daughter Gretta’s wedding. We hosted everyone up here on the hill on a perfect summer’s day.
I’ve sort of melted into the landscape and the memories it holds. It feels like a good place to be these days, friends.
One way to preserve this lovely sense of calm and sanctuary is to dye with plants that grow from the land we walk on. I dyed these vintage linens with birch catkins which hang and sway in the spring breezes before they drop to the lawn. Freshly rinsed, this piece will dry on the line in the shade and wait for some stitching.
Per my last post, I’ve been working on less “news” and more inspiration…
One of my “internet crushes” is quilter Grace Rother, who I’ve mentioned here before. Her recommendation of the podcast Abolition is For Everybody has caught my ear.
Two of my faves, Jess of Public Library Quilts and quilter Zak Foster recently had a heartwarming conversation about “sturdy traditions” at the SEAMSIDE Project. You can hear it here.
Jess and her friend Shokoofeh Rajabzadeh wrote a piece about sharing cross cultural traditions in a piece called Quilts and Carpets: Our Gifts For Kin. It’s via a new-to-me website called Reasons to Be Cheerful. What a treasure trove of delight!
Emergence Magazine is another online treat. Creating connections between ecology, culture and spirituality, it’s an editorially independent initiative of the Kalliopeia Foundation.
Sooooo….that’s all I’ve got today, friends. Just sharing a few things that may refresh you, inspire you and comfort you.
A gentle reminder, posted in our kitchen, from young Benjamin Franklin’s “Virtuous Life” questions.