It's pretty amazing how much our surroundings affect us. Actually, I'm just glad to have a break from Spokane for awhile. We were there for the better part of three weeks. I enjoy visiting the friends and family we have there, but am always glad to leave the billboards, gray cement vibe behind. We're in Montana now, which is pretty beautiful and mountainous. I plan on going foraging for nettles later today.

We did a fun little flea market last weekend. Olivia started a worm farm in an old salad container. . . which seemed pretty low maintenance. Until the two-year-old discovered it. Until I realized Olivia had been "watering" the worms. Until it started to stink. Until the other  kids wanted a worm too. And their parents didn't appreciate me sending them home with paper cups complete with stinky wet dirt, a worm, and the carefully chosen name of the worm handwritten on the outside of the cup. 

So worm farm was fun. . . for a couple days. I kept getting all their names mixed up.

We've got some beautiful new findings (the stuff you use to make jewelry that isn't beads). And some really beautiful kyanite beads, pendants and specimens. What's really special is the yew wood earrings I've been making. If there's any left after this weekend, I'll have to post a picture so you can see.  Even more beautiful than the earrings is the symbology behind the yew wood itself.  

See you at Lolo Hot Springs this weekend.

B

Thanks for such a time at the One Family Gathering. Really enjoyed the main stage music: Baby Gramps, Now is all you have (www.NIAYH.com) and the elvolutionaries circus group and Maha Devi design clothing. I, in general, have a vintage clothing fetish and shy away from new items. . .but this design, material, cut is amazing- www.mahadevidesign.com.

We stopped on the way to another festival  to do some business at one of our favorite bead stores. The owner told us the most interesting story. She moved to this particular area in the 70's, alone with only her car and some buckskin. This area is on the edge of a large reservation and even today the town has clashing politics between the varied populations. SO. . .she sat under a tree trying to sell moccasins off of a card table. For weeks. Without anyone from the REZ stopping to say hello or howdy. After a month she said "A carload of really old scary lookin indian women pulled up and said; 'How come you won't go away?'"

She told them she had no where else to go. They replied "If you're gonna stay, you can't be making white man moccasins. You can learn how to make real moccasins. W'ell show you. But you have to tell us where you get your buckskin."

She didn't know it at the time, but her mocassins were one fifth the price of everyone elses moccasins. In the whole country! So, she was named *Girl Who Has Hides, taken in and shown how to make real moccasins. Today she has a very successful bead store.


*Names changed

I love little stories like this. And this: A wonderful lady whom I share many friends with switched doctors a while ago. She had been (is still) living with breast cancer for ten years. The Doc put his hand on her knee, looked into her eyes and said "I will prescribe you the strongest pain meds you need. This is fatal."

She laughed, looked at him and said: "Honey- life is fatal!" 

So. . .onward blistered shoulders. When you see in color, feel in color, live in color. . .pain and suffering still exist but somehow become more of a peripheral vision, and less of a focus. Whatever you focus on expands. Just ask Ruthie.hehe.


Have a beautiful day. . .night. . .week. . .life.