Friday, June 28, 2013

strawberries and lettuce

 one of the magical things
about being artist in residence 
here
 is how fine things are.
simple, thoughtful.
this place is thoughtful, even
it feels like it breathes easy.
 but more,
when i arrived,
discombobulated from 14+ 
 hours of traveling
i was greeted
 by susan's mindfulness
everywhere.
 in the refrigerator
were strawberries and lettuce.
berries sweeter than sweet
tiny, old fashioned ones,
and a head of lettuce.
susan told me the varieties,
 but i was so sleepy i forget their names.
she had picked, washed, and prepared them
for me. 
there were other good things to eat
including a very special honey yogurt.
 i met with the arts council here
and had a lovely dinner
good conversation,
and was gifted with a travel stipend
to my happy surprise.
tomorrow is the arts walk
and i'll set up a little table to greet my new neighbors.
 susan's husband richard cabe
who died from brain cancer over a year ago,
is a happy presence here

 richard and susan breathed life into this old building
a shop/studio that is pleasant to work in
 not pretty or perfect, 
but beautiful
in the everydayness of the place
which is why i love being here.
 i've only wandered off once so far
and found a pelican
who knew my only photo was so pathetic
this is a rock book
one of five i made a while back
that richard liked
this photo surfaced as i was thinking about him
and this legacy of terraphilia
and susan, my incredible host.
i'm liking the contrast of visiting the high desert,
but yesterday's 105 temperature
was, by susan's measure and mine,
a bit much.

20 comments:

  1. Feeling a little part of your residency, thanks for the photos. Little bits of mindful attention to detail are so nurturing. My mother called it 'graciousness"... always, a little nosegay of flowers in the guest room. New, lovely smelling soaps, or even the thoughtfulness of tissues right next to every bed. In the artist's world - different touches, but still gracious!

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  2. all of that, valerie, little touches everywhere, oh, and a big pitcher of lilies, too.

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  3. I found more peace here this morning.

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  4. Sounds perfect.
    58 degrees and raining here...such a dramatic changed from the past week or so.
    1 week down and 2 to go for grad class
    blessing: time reduced from 5 days to 3 a week and hours reduced from 3 to 2 each class...so much more manageable
    happy weekend
    claudia

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  5. Beautiful tour and tribute. 105. Ouch. I think a tall cool iced drink or you just have to go with it. Let the bones seem to melt free. If. Possible.

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  6. claudia, holy cool! cloudy here today, but hot hot hot. wish those clouds were productive! good about school, hug!
    m, hot, indeed, if only the fat would melt, too. (grin!)

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  7. Oh I love thoughtful! We are rainy and cool here though maybe I'd rather have that since 100 degrees is just too much. Come visit when you come home!

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  8. cait, i so want to visit, and of course meet your new girl, too. i'll send you some sun if you send us some rain. good deal?!

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  9. Too hot! Great to hear you are settled and ever so comfortable.

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  10. nancy, so very hot, and then last night a small rain. relief. but not enough rain, that's all in the north country.

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  11. looks like a little piece of paradise - until you mentioned the heat, maybe you could join the pelican. what is the humidity like? love the pictures

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  12. jean, DRY! it's high desert, 7000 feet and mountains all around, and very very dry. we had a wee bit of rain last night!

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  13. This looks like a very special place to be V - gentle, thoughtful, caring, and so much wonder and beauty to work with. Enjoy your time - hot, cool or rainy!

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  14. Hi Velma,
    It is good to visit you after a few months of work here that ate up any time I had for keeping in touch with blog buddies. 105....very nice. It is the middle of the rainy season here. Enjoy your special time away.
    Bryan

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  15. fiona, it just gets better here, i am so lucky.
    bryan, it did rain a wee little bit yesterday, and it's a bit cooler, but the dry dry high desert is so different, verdant in a different way.

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  16. Enjoy - Velma - looks like the place to create and absorb some that has already been made there!! Renewal maybe for you as well!!

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  17. How lovely to find this post and see a glimpse of what you are encountering there... So beautiful that gesture of preparation for you arrival... And the stone book... I am not surprised it was so admired.
    Many pleasant hours being with this place, your work and all it offers...
    x

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  18. thanks, sophie, yes, it's something wonderful, this place

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