It’s no secret that I ::love:: koalas. Ever since the fires in Australia last year, I’ve had the photo below on my fridge because 1) it’s a koala, 2) it’s cute and 3) it’s time to start seriously helping the planet when a koala comes to your house to hang out in your laundry basket.
Well, recently it’s made me jealous. Not because the little dude was fleeing from imminent danger and all of his little furry friends were scattered about running for safety. But because he’s hanging out in a pool looking like he needs a PBR in one hand. And during this heat wave in the East Coast, a sooty laundry basket with shedding fur floating in it sounds pretty good. Refreshing, even.
So thinking about refreshing things had me thinking about how beaches used to be, which is where I found the photo* below. The links below are quite useful photos for when you’re dreaming up a new project, wanting some new inspiration, or just want to escape the heat for awhile yourself. If nothing else you can marvel at how fantastically stylish everyone looked… even without central air.
Wandering down the canal.
Discovering new nooks and crannies.
Roaming without a map.
Back at my house after wandering wherever my feet wanted to take me around DC, I’m reminded of the Prologue to “Off the Map” by Hib and Kika,
This is what it means to be an adventurer in our day: to give up creature comforts of the mind, to realize possibilities of imagination. Because everything around us says no you cannot do this, you cannot live without that, nothing is useful unless in it’s in service to money, to gain, to stability.
The adventurer gives in to tides of chaos, trusts the world to support her- and in doing so turns her back on the fear and obedience she has been taught. She rejects the indoctrination of impossibility.
And now 5 years later, feeling somewhat similar. Wanting it all. Somewhere new and wild and wonderful. Wide-eyed and older now, I’ve crafted the solution to a wish made so long ago. And still, I’m nervous. Excited. Hopeful. For all the new adventures about to come.
So as of Sunday, I am now 35. A number, which I’m totally okay with, but just seems, well, overwhelmingly adult. Things are so much different with my life than when I started this little site at age 28! Yikes!
But a few things have stayed the same, like my interests. The top photo is my favorite craft badge in the whole wide world, which I bought in Brighton, England in 2004. The bottom photo is of Teneek women from Mexico working on their embroidery at the recent Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Yes, that’s yarn on their heads, gorgeously wrapped up with their own hair.
If you’re wondering why my blog may seem a little, sparse, lately, it’s because I’ve been keeping up with lots of things simultaneously. Volunteering recently at the Festival. Writing about Afghan war rugs. Volunteering my communications skills to help Emerge Global aid Sri Lankan girls start their own jewelry businesses! Meeting all sorts of amazing new people! And, of course, continuing to discover the layout of my new hometown, DC!
As they’re easier to update on the fly, you can also find me over at Tumblr and Twitter.
When I was 9 years old, my biggest worry (seriously) was how I was going to tell people I was 11 with only 2 hands, even though I still wasn’t even 10.
Thankfully, kids of today are more sophisticated than myself. For example, the following video sent to me by a 9-year-old girl named Heather. After the video, I’ve posted her email about it, along with links to the projects she mentions.
Heather, you are awesome! Thanks so much for sending me your awesome video! I’m not sure who else you sent this great video to, but I hope the whole world gets to see it!
My name is Hannah and I am nine years old.
Could you please link my YouTube video on your blog?
I’m trying to get knitters to donate a hat to Hats for Hunger.*
All money goes to Heifer International to buy livestock for poor families.
I knit on a loom. I unravel sweaters for hats sometimes. And I dye the yarn with koolaid.
I made the video as a 4H project and it won a blue ribbon, a purple ribbon, a trip to the state fair and a Best of Show ribbon.
Hannah
*Hats for Hunger was started by a 9 year old in 2008. He’s now 11, and I’m betting has better things to do than tell people his age by displaying his fingers.
I’ve been lucky enough to have the chance to volunteer at the festival this year and have had a wonderful time! Not only did I get to see the weaving demo posted above, I also saw a wonderful bhangra show, saw some amazing Huichol beadwork by women from Wikarita, learned how to make amazing Lao food and today while eating lunch caught some awesome Mexican rock among many other fantastic things! And there’s still tomorrow and another weekend to go!!
If you’re not able to make it to DC this year, you can read about what’s happening the festival each day over at the Folklife Festival blog. There is also Flickr pool for the event, too. The photo above is from Flickr user Mr. T in DC of the Palo Volantin ceremony which is done at the festival twice daily.
