all the things.
the first time i heard this phrase
was in michelle moode's beautiful letterpress book
PARTICULAR.
it was index item #1.
the first thing was all the things.
i handle this book,
handle, the touch or the feel of something held in the hands
this book
haptic knowledge
anyway, it has delights and puzzles quietly presented.
The whole world is a series of miracles,
but we’re so used to them we call them ordinary things. Hans Christian Anderson I've been thinking about the intelligence of our hands, how they become smarter with practice, like our brains do.  i've read over and over. it's a small poem, not many words, but about big things. the care she took as she stitched this exquisite spine  see her tiny stitches?  an exit in SLU's print studio
with my favorite cheesecloth drying after being washed out.
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i'm not quite sure why it is
but for me the things that have meaning
are the things made by hands that have knowledge,
and also are my favorites
for (whatever/all the) reasons.
in last summer's seattle workshop
my students' hands all together could indeed have ruled the world,
with exquisite intelligence, grace, and love.
hazel and gabby
an envelope came recently that held this rich
surprise:
Banks of the Dogbane by sarah swett
a hand sized tapestry (3 x 3") rich in simple detail
and texture
woven on handspun linen
i love this thing.
over on the next farm this structure
was never honored by finishing
or by use
now it's failing
i believe it was intended for hay storage
for these bovines.
why leave it undone,
a public testament to failure of some kind?
i watched them build it, but then it was ignored.
these cows don't seem to care.
the lovely little brown calf stands out in this black and white crowd.
a lilac burl
from my garden.
enhanced by me cleaning and oiling it,
rolling it around in my hands with pleasure and love
handling it into another use
(maybe an awl?)
a beautiful handwoven hemp textile
hand spun hemp on a cotton warp
found by my dear friend who allowed me to buy it
at mjolk in toronto.
tiny waxed linen crocheted basket by Nina Payne
a gift from a gifted friend.
shanna's lake michigan rocks
beautiful and useful.
a little natural history book nest i made
two feathers on a shifu page and a seaweed float/bladder
milkweed bast becoming thread
ginkgo message
from therese
and words from the wise.
i'm reading a new book:
Craeft by alexander langlands
which may help me understand (or perhaps just frame)
my thoughts on hand work.
all the handwork.