paper day

once again i am at long ridge
a student
sitting with a group of amazing women
at long ridge farm.
sandra brownlee arrived here with her valise of wonders
a few books to share
thoughts and ideas and an exquisite gentleness
as we build tactile notebooks.
this is an object of delight she brought along:
 it's from kyoto
it's kozo (i think) stitched with paper thread
 so i sat one of my little pieces 
of flax stitched with paper thread on it
and snapped a portrait
 it is so familiar it feels like i made it
 sandra was told it was part of a costume
which puts me in mind of some of the shifu/stitched/flax pieces 
mary ann mackeller makes
 several of us are here
gathered together from far and wide
in this safe space that sandra has created for us to work in
taking brave steps
or just steps
being here
being present.
 i love therese's ripped strip of paper
i met up with two friends
as i write i realize they are both former students 
jennifer and therese
there it is, 
hiding behind that red cup
 sandra's valise
from which she took
this
and other wonders
 like these

a home in the sheep pasturage.
yesterday was PAPER day.
we made a little recording of paper
after i explained rattle 
(papermakers all know this term)
and how we listen for it as we evaluate paper.
we made a little recording, too.
~~~ then there's this for thinking about:
http://blogs.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/theconveyor/2014/06/06/texts-and-textiles-finding-manuscripts-in-unusual-places/