Sunday, April 21, 2013

gifts

i'm not, as i say, a numbers person.
this post is number 800.
my attention has seldom been on post numbers.
this post is number 800.
geesh!

on this mighty cold day in spring, 
i just hung out the laundry and now my fingers ache from cold
(this day is colder than the winter days
i spent last june & july in melbourne,
where people were suffering from cold)
this blog post, number 800,
should perhaps be something of a milestone.
i can measure a mile, 
when numbers match up to a distance,
they make good sense to me.

this is what i will tell you:
blogging about what and why i make things 
and about my life in my middle age, certainly past the middle of my life,
sings and sails and plays all kinds of tricks.
and then the idea of gifts:
well i have, as a result of this blog,
received some amazing gifts:
the most amazing of all has been dialogue 
surrounding what it is to make things.
aimee and i are always going on (and on, and on, it seems,
fortunately to only ourselves!)
about making work.
and then it's so with all of the other friends i have,
the artist friends. 
~~~
so this little paper thing below was a gift
and behind the careful cutting of my name
i placed an ecoprint
 there was another gift
 ochre light on the brush 
that likes wet toes
 and sometimes gifts are attempted.
with the best of intentions,
but are rejected
but to you readers,
i give you a gift:
i will continue on for a while 
until i'm done with this.
and then i will stop.
~~~
a morning gift 
a gift from stephen- 
waiting for me to use in some way-
the layer of warm
from a garment 
from old japan, a place i wish
to visit someday.

21 comments:

  1. and you WILL! i know that will happen sooner than later. so happy that you continue to share with us. funny you mention gifts b/c i just wrapped up another bunch of things for you today to post tomorrow. we are silly ones, but i am so grateful to have you in this ongoing dialogue!

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  2. Beautiful post, and you shook a memory loose--Though you are on your 800th post, my mind thought "1000 Miles" and so I reached into memory files and then searched on You tube till I found it---I was 18 when I heard this song, and fell in love with this glorious voice--
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhAkNrelNbU&feature=share&list=PL5665493FADCB1B2D Joan Baez ~ FARE THEE WELL ~ "Of British origin, the text is the most moving declaration of a lover`s farewell to be found in our folk literature. Perhaps it`s beauty comes from biblical connotations, for the imagery of the closing verses is related to New Testement descriptions of the Last Judgement and the song ends with a quotation from Mark ( Xlll,20) -- "Till all these things be done". The melody was composed by Dave Gude, a young folksinger from Martha`s Vinyard, Mass.

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  3. Thank you for sharing your gifts!
    I'm having a difficult time wanting to keep up with my blog, so this resonated with me...but then, you always do!
    xo!

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  4. aimee, of course you must know that i let out a little whoop! and will continue on (and on and on...)
    ms, oh, and it's so good i helped this memory along the way, looks like you are like me with the numbers...
    melissa, yes, it's become a thing i have to remember, not a chore, just a thing i have to remember--

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  5. i never look at the numbers
    but
    your mention of 800
    made me do so
    and
    we're pretty close...i'm only three ahead!

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  6. 800? my goodness! 800 little treasures dropped into the bloggy ocean.... I'm grateful that I've been around to collect a few of these.... (funnily enough the song '500 miles' came into my mind... I can hear the scottish accents of 'the proclaimers' belting out '... and I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more Just to be the (wo)man who walked a thousand miles To fall down at your door')...

    here's to the next one, two, three, four (hundred) posts xxxx (eight hundred hugs from across the ocean)

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  8. Yikes... 800... well, I'm like around 116 or so. But, I don't post but once a week or so. This winter grieving time its been less. I'm glad for blogging, glad that you keep going here, and got a little jolt of anxiety thinking that you might stop.

    The photo of the brush is exquisite. Love the branches as lines and reflected in the water, beautiful. I saw you saw your little bag in its new place. So nice. The studio is filling up with gifts from bloggers. I must do a post sometime just on that!

    Have a good week. I have only THREE days left of TEACHING.. YIPEE! (ok, now I'm going on and on...)

    night night

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  9. india, it's amazing to me that i've posted so much in such a little bit of time.
    ronnie, i LOVE those 800 hugs! i do remember that song!
    valerie, i am totally and seriously jealous!

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  10. i am so disinterested in numbers it's some kind of marvel i'm a weaver. of course i didn't know weaving was 'bout numbers.
    you made me look at my post numbers!

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  11. neki, yeah, but numbers are just a means to the end...

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  12. --congratulations -800 posts - and how many words and images?? hugs and thank you for each and every one.

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  13. jean, who knew i could be so noisy! thanks for the hugs!

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  14. Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "gifts":

    V- congrats on being there and sharing for 800 posts; and so love the ochre bushes. B

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  15. hooray for you, for your shared posts and gifts!

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  16. I love the peaceful vibes that flow from your hands & this space in the cyber sea!

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  17. thanks, again, sometimes i wonder why/how you all have put up with me!

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  18. 800...wow! I don't really keep track, but this made me curious (published 236). I am so glad for the gift of your 800. Coming here is always a calm and beautiful time for me. Thank you and Yes, please do continue!
    I too thought of "500 Miles"...had to listen to it as well!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwB2A9HHaCU

    Thanks Velma for all you do!

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  19. it's a big number, nancy, and a little embarrassing, but i have accomplished a thing here and have enjoyed your (singular and plural) company. thank you.

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  20. Thank you for sharing the view from behind your eyes...your vision is unique and I love seeing what you see!

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