3 quotes in 3(?) days/periods of time/weeks/???

. . . but hopefully not 3 aeons . . .

I have been nominated by my loving friend, Pauline, The Contented Crafter, which is a good thing, as now I will post ‘something’ at least. I’ve been rather busy with one thing and another lately and most lax about posting and responding to comments. Again, my apologies. And to quote a poster my Mum had up for some time: “if it’s not one thing, it’s your Mother!” Anyway . . .

I don’t know how regular these will be; we have the Celebration of Life for my Aunty this coming Saturday and family members are coming from all over, which is nice, but means I likely won’t see the computer much for a wee bit. When the dust settles . . .

My first quote is from a woman who has inspired me for many years. In the spirit of Gandhi, she owned only  the clothes on her back, a notebook and pencil. No money. She walked across the USA  at least eight times and if you added the partial trips, some say up to thirty times or more. She was flown to Hawai’i and Alaska so she could walk there, too. In 1952 she changed her name to ‘Peace Pilgrim’ and began walking for Peace. She did this until she died nearly thirty years later. She vowed to walk until offered shelter and to fast until offered food and she kept those vows. Her words and writings are available free, thanks to a group of her friends/followers who keep them published. Donations are not necessary, but are accepted with thanks if anyone is moved to help with that mission.

You can read about her here: Peace Pilgrim and her writings are online here: Peace Pilgrim book in seven languages.

One of my favourite quotes from her work is:

Many of you, no doubt all of you, have your daily life challenges. In the midst of all that, I wish you Peace as it is defined here.

More to come and thank you, Pauline (I think 🙂  No, seriously, thank you!).  ~ Linne

And my favourite Peace song: Let There Be Peace On Earth, and Let It Begin With Me

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I’ve been a bit quiet . . .

. . . but up to quite a bit. I finally figured out how to upload the green scarf photos to Picasa, not to Google. I did it the first time with no trouble, then couldn’t remember exactly how. Oh, well, I got it figured out; only took about four or five hours . . .  So, when Pauline gets home, she can choose the one she wants before I put them in the store. I do love the greens; there are five dark green and three light . . . I dyed six dark, then accidently snipped three tiny holes in one while removing the threads for the final rinsing. But all is not lost . . . I’ve got an idea or two on what to do with that one. 🙂

Then I’ve been working on an interesting project for my friend Mrs. Crafty:

Mrs. C found a few crochet patterns at the Re-Use-It Store recently and only after she had them at home did she realize they were all in Danish! So I have been typing the instructions into a Word document, complete with the special characters, and then using the Word Translator utility to turn them into U.S. English (no option for Canadian English, of course). The translations aren’t finished, though, because some of the words didn’t translate and some were translated into very odd wording. So now I must go over the originals, word by word, and figure out the missing bits. Lots of fun for me, the word/language geek (who is only fluent in English hahaha!); I do love an odd challenge! I have done two of the five so far; the lovely summer hat pattern pictured above and another for a baby set; jacket, bonnet and booties, all in Tunisian crochet.

So what was I listening to while doing this typing? Yep, Runrig, in Gaelic, of course! I’m not sure why it doesn’t distract me from what I’m doing, but it doesn’t. Interesting.

I have just finished a most fascinating book, too:

This is the true story of a boy diagnosed as autistic at two and a half. His parents, after a fascinating series of events, including a treatment by some shamans (Bushmen of the Kalahari people, whom the dad was helping in their fight for autonomy and to not be evicted from their ancestral homelands) took him to Mongolia to meet with a group of shamans and then a single shaman of the Reindeer People. I won’t tell you the whole thing, but if you haven’t read this yet, you may want to add it to your winter reading list. If you know anyone who has a family member with autism or Asperger’s Syndrome, I highly recommend reading this. I learned so much from it and found I couldn’t put it down! What the dad has to say about the boy’s special relationship with animals of all sorts and especially with horses is also fascinating. After they returned from Mongolia, they set up a riding school for both neuro-typical kids and kids with autism, Asperger’s, etc. In addition, the mum is a psychologist teaching at the uni in Austin, Texas. She is a Buddhist and has been developing a study on self-compassion, which she says is much better and more helpful than raising self-esteem. After reading some of her writings,, I have to agree. She has done some TED talks, too, apparently. Her name is Kristin Neff, if you want to google her and learn more.

This is a perfect example of why I’m not in favour of e-books replacing ‘real’ books; As you can see by the sticker on the cover, it was a ‘Staff Pick’, so I happened to spy it sitting on a shelf and immediately knew I had to read it! If I’d had to know the title and then look for it in the ether somewhere, I never would have discovered it. It’s given me so much to think about; I can’t begin to address all that here, at least not just now.

Oh, yes . . . you know what this is, don’t you? That’s right, a new project! And yes, there are four circular needles in play; I couldn’t find the right size of double-pointed needles for this project and I need to get it done soon, so I’m improvising, as usual . . .

I really needed another project, as you all know . . . I can’t tell you what it is exactly, but all will be revealed one day soon. I can say that (generally speaking) it’s going to be sent to the Snail of Happiness once completed . . .

This is a framed photograph taken by my Dad when he and Mum were on a trip through part of the Yukon. That’s Atlin Lake in the background and my Mum is just visible, coming back from the water with a couple of bucketsful for their camp. The picture is in our living room / lounge and I love to look at it, so thought I’d share it with you.

In case Christi is reading this, here’s a picture of Dorcas, who has been settling in nicely (it takes a while) and is now producing delicious Kefir for me. Her grains are so BIG!

 

While eating supper, I’ve been watching several movies. These pictures are from Les Miserables, the version with Liam Neeson as Jean Valjean. I read the book in school and later, but hadn’t seen any of the movies. This one was good. I especially love the robe the young Cosette is wearing in the second picture. The first picture is her playing with her doll after Valjean pays the horrible greedy caretaker so the girl can have some time to play. This little girl is quite adorable.

Well, I’ll be back soon (not too soon; don’t want to stuff up your Readers 😉  ). Have a wonderful week, all of you.

Oops, nearly forgot: here’s some music for you . . .

Malvina Reynolds, an original Bolshie Little Black Duck, if you don’t mind my saying so, Narfie! Malvina began her songwriting creer in her late 40s. You’ll know her “Little Boxes” and “What Have They Done to the Rain?”

and Tracy Chapman . . . I haven’t heard anything about her for a while, but a friend loved her work and we used to listen to this a lot.

Feeling better . . . and now feeling sad

My infection is nearly healed and I’m thankful for all the kind messages. I’m sure the energy that came my way helped speed the healing. There is only a small hot patch left and I’m pretty sure it will be gone in the next couple of days.

   

If you are wondering why I’m feeling sad, it’s because I just heard the news that Pete Seeger died yesterday. I’m not sad for him, but for a world that will be dimmer with his passing. He has been a key figure in my universe since I can remember folk music; high school at least (we didn’t usually have a radio earlier than that). His ideas, his passion, his love . . . all made me think and helped form my own beliefs.

Singer, songwriter, activist for a multitude of causes; all that and so much more. He  built his own house and lived there with his wife, who raised their children while he was away standing up for all of us in so many ways. He was a true pioneer. He started the movement to clean up the Hudson River, took part in many protests (and was arrested a couple of times). There is a lot in anyone’s story when they have lived into their nineties. If you don’t already know, and want to know more, there’s a lot of information online. And some in the documentary I’ve linked to below.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/pete-seeger-dead-folk-singer-and-activist-dies-at-94-1.2513591

Pete’s wife, Toshi, died last July, only 9 days before their 70th wedding anniversary. She had a great influence on him, from what he said and what was written about them. Many said he couldn’t have done the work he did without her support and he acknowledged that.

Pete and Toshi are people I look up to for their willingness to stand up for their beliefs, to live what they preached, to find non-violent ways to effect change, in a way few manage to achieve.

Thanks to YouTube, I’ve been able to view many of his “Rainbow Quest” sessions, featuring a wide variety of musicians. Rainbow Quest was Pete’s folk music show and I would have loved it, but at the time I didn’t have electricity or a tv; besides, I doubt the shows aired in Canada.

Pete learned, played and wrote a book about the five-string banjo; the book is still available.

I think all the radical, bolshie hippies and their ilk will be forever grateful.Here’s a link to 10 quotes (I’m sure there are hundreds!

Here’s links to a few of my favourite songs:

Bring ‘Em Home

Waist Deep in the Big Muddy

(written about the Vietnam War, but applies to most of our current political situations)

What Did You Learn in School Today?

Solidarity Forever

Here’s a collection of his songs.

The Power of Song – documentary from the PBS American Masters series

One of his grandsons is quoted as saying that Pete was out chopping wood just 10 days before he died. Way to go, Pete!

As Woody Guthrie would have said, “So long, it’s been good to know ya” . . .

A Toast to 2014, inspired by Narf7 . . .

A Little Black Bolshie Duckie Toast . . . to 2014

Here’s to the hippies, the old and the new;

The outcasts, the beatniks, the whole motley crew.                 

And here’s to the bolshie babes, and to their men

Who plant, weed and harvest again and again.

 The hugelkind kulturers, keepers of bees,

The rockers of children, the kissers of knees.

The goatherds, the shepherds, the makers of soap

The cheesemakers, quilters, creators of hope.

 

Let’s drink to the builders who shelter and mend

The world’s broken places, ‘til on past the bend

of the long weary journey they pause and look back

to see that the rifts are now barely a crack.

 

Here’s to the village, the virtual realm

The world’s a wee boat now, with you at the helm.

So healing’s begun, creativity’s rife,

Let’s all raise our glass to a good country life

 

In the city or country, a cottage can be

The source of our sustenance, where we can see

That no matter how humble, the place we love best

Is a home the heart yearns for, where each may find rest

  

Where frugal’s the watchword, where kindness abounds,

So that all ‘round the globe are heard wondrous sounds

Of planting and healing, of making and more

Of building a world that is good to the core.

 

Here’s to our friends, our relations, our foes

(without them we wouldn’t have kept on our toes),

We might not have grown so much, opened our minds

Not to mention our hearts, to the knowledge each finds

 

In the virtual village, where dwell kindred souls

Who walk their own paths to the same central goals

While improving the world in the east and the west,

The north and the south, in each place we love best. 

 

And here’s to the poets (not me) and the wise

The artists who open our magical eyes.

The writers, the marchers, the builders of cairns

Let’s all raise a glass to our friends and the bairns

 

Who, nurtured with kindness, will learn what they see

And one day will carry the torch we set free.

We’ll go to our rest, the young will go on . . .

And the world will awake to a lovely new dawn.

 

Let’s raise a glass of beer or wine, of kombucha or tea;

Let’s raise a glass to what has been and what is yet to be

Let’s drink a toast to those we’ve known, to those who’ve gone before,

To those we’ll meet in days to come, beside an open door.

 

I drink to the world that is soon to be born, to its faeries, its imps and its elves,

to all of the midwives that welcome it home and to every last one of your selves.

 

I have loved sharing the journey with each one of you, my readers; I look forward to more of the same in the coming year. Stay strong, keep the faith, look up and ahead . . .  With much love and appreciation, I wish you each joy, strength, hope, inspiration, love, creativity, healing, and so much more. 

 

A Most Happy New Year to you all!  ~ Linne

Footnote: this was inspired by Narf7 of The Road to Serendipity (Christmas Day post).

I hope those of you who prefer modern verse will forgive my indulgence in some pretty basic rhythm and rhyme; I honestly don’t  have time to do more. Warm hugs to everyone and I’m back to the kitchen . . .  (why didn’t you tell me Christmas was coming? I would have been ready . . .)     ~ L.

What motivates visionaries to dominate the world?

To find out, go here:

http://lissarankin.com/what-motivates-visionaries-to-dominate-the-world?inf_contact_key=87ed84210d47149f918676cb9325264af14ebbde22c9fa5bf27e0b0b7b7d032e

I’ve been working my way slowly through Lissa Rankin’s book, “Mind Over Medicine”; well worth reading, in my opinion.

It’s likely the last book I will buy for a while and definitely worth it already.

Orienting towards Solutions . . .

Lately, I’ve posted links and re-blogged other people’s posts; I realize that staying informed can lead to an increase in fear, which in turn tends to lead us to ‘turn off’.

I feel there are other options, too. Creativity, especially practised daily, can be a powerful antidote to fear and pessimism. By creativity, I mean creating; writing, singing, making music, art, crafting something useful, decorative or both. I like to draw with coloured pencils, especially the aquarelles:

Nothing special, this, but making it lifted my spirits.

But I was also thinking of creativity in the sense of finding a creative solution to a problem. People all over the earth have been doing this for some time (well, forever, really, but here I’m thinking more of current challenges).

Often I’ve been guilty of saying something should be done about whatever it is that I’m paying attention to at that moment; but I’m only one person, with few resources, I say to myself. So I feel excused from action.

I like creating folk art designs, too.

Lately, as I think more about grass-roots activism, about positive and peaceful ways of overcoming great challenges, about moving from being problem-oriented to becoming solution-oriented, I am finding some unusual and inspiring stories crossing my path; like this one on “The Power of One”: http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/indian-man-single-handedly-plants-a-1360-acre-forest
We aren’t all called to plant a forest; but now I’m inspired to think more about what I am called to do . . .
I plan to keep sharing links that inform and links that inspire. While I’m thinking about Creative Activism, I’ll continue my personal creative journey and share that, too.

Did I mention that I love making Art Dolls?

My favourite so far.

And here’s the “plain” garter stitch (well, mostly LOL) shawl as of yesterday afternoon:

Looks good on my Aunty, doesn’t it? But I’m not done yet . . .

Giveaway!

**If you don’t want to wade through a very long post, scroll down to “In a Nutshell” for a concise list of details.

Yesterday I wrote my 100th post and to celebrate that, I had decided some time ago to hold a giveaway. But give away what? Nothing heavy, as many of you are half a world away and Canada Post is not the kindest corporation.

No, I wanted it to be personal, meaningful, useful and symbolic. I’ve been thinking about this for weeks, then I hit the 100 mark, now the pressure was on . . . and a few minutes ago a light went on . . .

Pam Stahl of the “Learning to be Me” blog handstitched and handquilted an incredibly gorgeous quilt, originally meant for her father. See her blog for pictures and more information.

The quilt is now being raffled to raise money for a well in Africa, where clean water, as I’m sure you all know, is not only hard to come by in places, but also connected to the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Now I know some of you have experienced drought this year and I also know, from your comments and in my heart, that you all care about making meaningful change in the world.

I made a donation to this cause in my own name a while back after I posted about the raffle. Today I did a bit more research on your behalf and discovered that the beneficiary of the raffle, Blood:Water Mission, was set up by the Christian band, Jars of Clay, in 2004.

To learn more about the mission, go to http://www.bloodwatermission.com. To check out the band, go to http://www.jarsofclay.com

I want to be clear here: I don’t believe in promoting my beliefs; as far as I’m concerned, people can make up their own minds. I’m not mainstream and my beliefs encompass those from several traditions/religions. My friends range from staunch atheists to equally staunch believers in a variety of religions. I enjoy discussing in person, but you won’t see religious posts here. Not what I do and not what this blog is about. Any questions, let me know; I’ll send you my email address and we can talk privately.

Now, that said, I like anyone who puts their money where their mouth is. Clean water for Africa is something I supported back when I was a member of the Women’s Institute, the only women’s group with representation at the U.N. I love what Pam is doing with her quilt (seriously, do you have any idea how much time went into making it?)

So, here’s the deal: leave a comment on this post and next Monday I will put all names in the hat and five of them will be drawn. Via PayPal, I will make a $10 donation directly to Pam on behalf of each person whose name is drawn. (I no longer use credit cards). Pam forwards the money to the raffle site and your donorname is added to the Donor Roll there. She adds your contact name to the drawing pool.
Winners will have their names/blognames posted here. I haven’t figured out how to do those entry forms where your email address stays hidden, so I will post my own email and winners can contact me. Leave a contact name and also let me know in your comment what name (anonymous, full name, blogname, first name, whatever) you would like used as a donor on the raffle site (check that out here: http://www.crowdrise.com/fundraise-and-volunteer/mobile-project-donate/livingwaterquiltraffle/pamstahl). (You can set up your own fundraiser at crowdrise, but I don’t know the details)

Pam has generously offered to pay the postage to ship it to the lucky winner.

Pam hopes to raise $7,000, $10 at a time, by the end of March and is nearly halfway. If you’d like to help, she has a widget on her blog that you may add to yours. Go to: http://creativecrazygirl.blogspot.ca/p/living-water-quilt-fundraiser.html?m=1 and scroll down.

In a nutshell:
Win a handstitched, handquilted
Leave a comment on this post (one only, please, and not a reply to another comment). Say whatever you like, or nothing but the name you want used as your donorname (and a contact name if you want to be listed as Anonymous; the contact name will not appear anywhere else)
A donorname is required.
Draw closes at midnight (Mountain Time) on Sunday, 24 March, 2013. On Monday, I will draw (or get my Mum to draw) five names.
I will donate $10 (US funds) in each person’s name to the Living Waters Quilt raffle and email the names to Pam to add to the pool.
Pam will draw one name at the end of March to win the quilt and will pay the shipping costs.

I hope one of my readers wins, but the real winners will be drinking clean water!

Good Luck!

Herbal healing, anyone?

I’ve left information on the following site on a couple of my distant friends’ blogs, but now I’m thinking that maybe more people would find this information useful, so here’s the link: http://www.julietteoftheherbs.com/

Juliette de Bairacli-Levy was an amazing woman. She studied with gypsies and aboriginal and tribal peoples all over the world. I’ve used her books often for myself, my children, my dogs and other animals, always with great results.

If you are a homesteader with dogs and/or farm animals, try to get hold of a copy of both of these: “Herbal Handbook for the Dog” and “Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable”. I own both, although I no longer have any animals in my life. I also loved her books on raising her children naturally: “Nature’s Children” (now re-printed as “Natural Rearing of Children” and “Wanderers in the New Forest”.

Well, I hope some of you find these helpful; I certainly did!  ~ Linne