What Matters

 Three rainbow(ish) bags went out in the mail, possible comfort, possibly nothing. One may never know. But, doing what feels kind & right is a good thing, yes?

 Anyway, I used rainbow like colors because these went out to the family of young Tagan, who I made the Covid Memorial Quilt block for recently. Her name and birth-death dates are woven right into each bag.

I hope they provide something needed, even just a little. Her block is now up on the website.

You can go to the (page 2, bottom)  Covid Memorial Quilt website to see Tagan's block posted there, among many others. In fact, someone else made Tagan a block (page 3, row 12, far left, with a photo of Tagan on it) I hope when they are placed into a panel and sent off to be exhibited, they are close enough for her family to go see them.

Over the past weeks, at Jude's and Deb G's and elsewhere and in comments...the things we share and how we do so has been a topic.

This is one I haven't shared, but has been sitting heavy in my heart since I first heard of this tragedy for this work family.

Words can not express, can they?

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”

― Rainer Maria Rilke 

 

 

 I'm still weaving and planting bags. I eventually used up the rust yarn, seen here as the warp strap. 9 patch of recently woven bags, 13 total. That was a lot of yarn! Playing with the weft colors is a fun time of creativity. Each time I use up a yarn, I feel excited to move onto to more explorations. The white and yellow are also used up. As I use them up, it gets tricky to find strong warp yarns, but so far, so good.  It's amazing how much yarn makes a big ball and how little I use in each bag! I'll be working with this one for a while!

We went and planted bags on Tuesday and Wednesday...it rained!! Well, more like heavy mist for a long while, but still Moisture. I hope the bags fared okay. I have a sackful of bags to take out.

Total count: 31made, 20 planted...that leaves 11 ready to go out (not counting the 4 rainbow bags, one of which has been gifted).

 

One planted up the Canyon, past the Power Plant, near the big metal frame we discovered.

Three more planted at the entrance near the hike in the riverbed. It's always funny to me how they look so hidden in plain sight from afar, in a photo.

 

Trying to balance things out with the lighthearted

discovered during the Olympics viewing (yes, this sat as a draft forever!)

 

May you find ways to sooth your heart and the hearts of others

May you honor the hard

May you also welcome the easier

xo 

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2021  

One Block Among Many

 ❤❤❤❤❤

If you've read here before, you know how much and how long I've been letting go of a wide variety of personal belongings that are no longer needed/wanted. No matter how much I've let go of (including the wild purge during the Big Move), there always seems to be more that I'm okay with letting go.  A bit ago it was my old records and sewing machine that I was considering. The tub of records is still under consideration, but the sewing machine is gone. After being turned down by three local Sewing & Vacuum shops uninterested in buying a vintage 1955(ish) New Home machine. Then things fell into place when I heard the story of the

Covid Memorial Quilt

I added the creators of the Covid Memorial Quilt and Project Linus (who I donated quite a bit of fabric to during the move & knew they also took sewing machines) to my list of prospective places for an old machine to go.  I emailed the Covid Memorial Quilt folks first, as I was so impressed with this project and its timeliness. 

❤❤❤❤❤

 ❤❤❤❤❤

This project was started by a young girl, with a huge heart and great support team.

As Madeleine said, in her own words in her simple, yet powerful Mission Statement:

"They're not numbers. They're people who died and they deserve to be remembered." -Madeleine Fugate, 13, student.

This was one of my rants to J. for months, People not Numbers.

Therefore, what a perfect cause to donate my machine to!

So, we emailed back and forth a few times and then Madeleine's mother and teacher, who are working on this project with her, came out to pick up my machine and my big 4X4 cutting mat. We chatted for some time out front and I felt like I'd found kindred spirits. The teacher even lives on the street my childhood best friend lived on! How's that for connection?!

I had packed up the machine, the fabrics I planned to use (to show them) and a small gift for Madeleine and wheeled it all out front. What a lovely chat we had! How happily I danced about the house after saying goodbye to these ladies as they drove off with my donated sewing machine!  

❤❤❤❤❤ 

(THERE WAS DOODLING, WORKING THROUGH IDEAS)

❤❤❤❤❤

Tagan's obituary spoke of her age, family, school, favorite toys...the story of her 5 short years.

For, yes she was five.

That's what I kept thinking about. It was one reason I chose Tagan to represent on a Covid Memorial Quilt block. When I first heard her story in the NEWS, back in November, I couldn't get the various images of her out of my mind. She was so young, with such a twinkle in her eye. You could see her spirit shining through as she smiled at the camera. She was five.           As I listened to her parents telling her story, their story my heart broke for them. Their voices held so much pain, so much pain from an unbearable loss. You can read her father's heartbreaking words here.

❤❤❤❤❤ 

This one was a long, slow process. For whatever reason, I just could not get going on it.           I couldn't settle on an idea, besides the broadest thoughts of fabric choice (which was super easy and decided upon well before I stitched on stitch) and the symbol I'd use, the heart, which was again, an obvious choice and seemingly one of my trademarks. I spent time considering how to use the fabric color choices, using one, some or all of the different colors. What color would, should the heart be? How big should that heart be? And what of the stitches, what color would I use to stitch? How much stitch should I add? Finally, which direction should the colors orientate? I believe my slow start stemmed from my idea that I would do a cloth weaving base. No matter how I designed it in my mind, it felt too busy with a woven base. When I finally let go of that idea, things started to fall into place.

 ❤❤❤❤❤  

So, what came to be, reads like this.

I used my much loved finger paint fabrics because this is often a first art experience for young children. It is often a favorite way for young children to explore and create. Yet, even though it can be a universal mode of expression, each mark made is unique to the maker.

She was five

 ❤❤❤❤❤

❤❤❤❤❤ 

In the end, I used almost all of the colors of the finger paint fabric in bold stripes, like crayons laying in a row.  The brown, a bit wider than the others to represent the fact that Tagan is a child of color and so many more people of color had contracted Covid and been so much sicker, dying more frequently.  The colors held meaning. 

Yellow-Orange = sun, sand

Green = growth, life

Brown = earth, people

Blue-Purple/black = sky, deep water

 The red was placed across all of the other colors, holding the colors, as we hold one another. The red for love, heart, community, family. The red, the life's blood, which holds it all together.

 She was five

 ❤❤❤❤❤

❤❤❤❤❤  

All of the edges were left raw, ragged, ripped ~ to exclaim the brokenness at the loss of a child.

The light tan/blue colored heart, sewn on with a blanket stitch (yep, another trademark for me) to show the love her family and community had for her...to show the love she gave back and to show the love the world felt upon hearing of her loss...for wouldn't we all wrap her in that love, that blanket and protect her for all time, if only we could.

 She was five

 ❤❤❤❤❤ 

(THE RED IS STITCHED ON) 

❤❤❤❤❤  

Between each step of the process, a day or two passed by. I moved slowly, gathering my thoughts, considering what would come next and how I would do that next step. A pause to meditate on a young girl, who was once so full of life.

She was five

 ❤❤❤❤❤

  ❤❤❤❤❤ 

 

 

❤❤❤❤❤ 

To show respect to her family, I chose to embroider her full given name. I used a rich brown. I used a lovely green to show her growing years, birth - death dates.

I left most of the colors bold, stitch-free (only the glue stitch) and added a light, swirling touch of stitches to the band of red...like love in the air, which can be seen and felt.

She was five

 ❤❤❤❤❤  

 

 ❤❤❤❤❤

 Last step for me is always my "NAE '21" (or whatever year the making took place). Here it is on the back of the heart. Connection.

Every step, every mark, and every stitch ~ a part of the story. Each phase photographed, documented...rested with.

She was five

 ❤❤❤❤❤ 

 

 ❤❤❤❤❤  

 It felt important to me to honor this child with symbolism that was meaningful, not trite.

I hope I did that.

It felt important to honor this child with colors that could hold a deeper meaning.

I hope I did that too.

It felt important to honor this child.

I know my heart did that.

She was five

xo

Photographs by NAE ©2021

Reading - Walking (sort of) & Some New Stitches

I finished "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry", for maybe the third (?) time. Every time I read it (or any book read more than once), I can easily return to the images I've created in my mind...the locations, characters all look the same to me. But, also each time I read, I get something new, something different. I love that about a good book.

Now I'm off to England again, to the story behind my beloved Winnie-the-Pooh childhood experience. This book belonged to my mom and as often the case, it is pristine, except for the yellowing in the front cover. This because my mom had the habit of cutting out the L.A. Times book review and tucking it inside. So, I started with that. I wasn't sure I would like this book...I thought I may want to leave my childhood experience to itself. But, I decided to give it a try and I am enjoying it. Last night's read included a tour of the property, including the 500 Acre Wood and the Pooh Sticks bridge.

Both books have a map. Yay! Both books have a lot of walking. So, of course last night my dreams were filled with walking...miles and miles of walking! I was lost (which may or may not be true) and then I sort of found my way. But, the walking...I woke up tired! I can't speak as much for the Christopher Milne book, as I've just started it, but I do highly recommend the Harold Fry book. Plus, this time around while reading the interview conversation with Rachel Joyce in the back of the book, a few of the ideas about the art of writing really stood out. That was fun.

 

 

I read over my mom's bookplate a few times.

It rang true for who she was.

She lived a good life.

 

Well, I've finally got a start on my block for the Covid Memorial Quilt. Boy, it has been a super slow start, but I've got ideas and taken stitches. Don't those pin heads pop?! I started with Jude's 'glue stitch'. I always start this way. It has become a very calming, centering way to begin. I may have put way more glue stitches than needed, but I like a piece to be ready for secure handling. Besides, it's pretty soothing. More on this piece to come.

 May you stitch, read and wander...

May you also rest well.

xo

Photographs by NAE ©2021  

What's Up??

That's what I keep asking,

"What's up with me?"

I have a few projects that I want to (need to, in my eyes) get done. Two are started, sort of, and there is time for the third (a new Christmas stocking). But, I just keep procrastinating.

I dug out some vintage canning jars "hats" to use in the repairing/updating of Raggedy Ann (who you met recently). Her little pantaloons have new elastic in the waist. Silly her has them on inside out, as I check them for fit :) I then did one of the leg openings, but it didn't work well so I took it right back out. I've been problem solving a better way to make it work and think I've done that, yet my hand is needle-less! I've got two let hole and two sleeve openings to get done.

If I say all of this here, will it push me forward? Let's hope!

Next onto the quilt block, barely in process. I've had some cloth pulled out to make a quilt block for that covid memorial quilt I've mentioned before. I keep considering ideas, moving the pieces around...I even got excited with one of the ideas and ripped a strip. My biggest idea is some weaving, maybe a heart and of course her name and birth/death dates. The white is the size it will be, 8X8 and it may be used for the heart (with name) as well. It has texture. 

But, I just can't get going further. 

Perhaps I need to make myself some deadlines here.

I love this finger paint fabric so much...but you all know that!

Okay, well, that's all I've got. Me trying to get pushy with me and putting that here.

 

May you  complete your self imposed tasks

May you  enjoy the actual doing of it

May you discover other things that need doing along the way

xo

 Photographs by NAE ©2021

Going Along & Some Things Are Coming

 I've got a few ideas brewing.

Choosing fabrics and winding yarn.

And hiking.

 Golden Valley Trail...

over the little bridge and down the trail to the right.

Conversation regarding the sound (which I really like) of our footsteps on the wooden planks, like a boardwalk in an old western town. There may have been some singing together.

 More curious tree balls!

 I lean towards the finger paint fabric once again, getting the sense that techniques, symbolism and particular stitches will be repeated and deciding how I feel about that.

We spot just one bunch of California Poppies. Beautiful.

 

The way the colors wind around, peek in & out

 

Upon closer inspection, I see a wishing rock in the pillar. I think homesteading in this open land way back then must have been a wish come true! I'm thinking it still would be.

I never tire of the trees against the sky or the sun through the trees.

Layers of color, done

I'm starting to recognize certain landmarks...which slopes stand behind others, where the grasses end and other brush begins, where the trees live...

And we're discovering new trails, seeing the fork in the road and wandering on.

Heading out, passing Locks and then a short mountain drive before we're ready to head home.

Twisty road above and dry creek below, with town far, far away.

Thank you for continuing to come along with me as I share in the wonder of the great outdoors, as I explore creative ideas and tell my stories. Thank you for your friendship on the pomegranate trail.

xo

Photographs by NAE ©2021