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i did extend some lines of the Kantha into Her face.   it's good.

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spent a lot of time stitching the beginnings of two long leaves of grass.  the one on the right remains…and decided that isn't it.  So…rooted through all the scraps and found one that will work, and again,  i SHOULD have been more conscientious about dyeing this summer with the Mexican Elderberry, *  and these i think will be good.  The seed stems will be thread.

and i'm not sure how i realized this,  but i did realize that the dial on the camera was NOT on Auto…but rather manual.   How did that happen?  but it accounts for the trouble i have having for a while.  I'd thought maybe my retina's were detaching.  But no.  so ok.

and the mid afternoon to early eve were spent BURNING, finally.  No wind.  Perfect.

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this whole little pile of wood had been completely covered…over to the fence and then about  maybe 7ft wide and then almost 6ft high with Pigweed.  This is weed that causes problems for Goats because of the thistle like seed heads..or like fish hooks…can get lodged.  so, pull and burn.

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here we have it.  Done.  I  hosed it down when finished so when the ashes dry i'll shovel them into the wheelbarrow and do something with them.  But it felt really really good to get this DONE.   I am probably overly concerned about burning.  Even on a day like today, i start so CARE FULLy…only a few weeds at a time,  but as it goes,  i become confident and really enjoy seeing the smoke billowing.  Tay was very interested  All does came from the Way Back to the Middle Pen to watch.  It was well attended.  

 

 

 

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30 responses to “a gentle thursday”

  1. Judith in N. CA Avatar
    Judith in N. CA

    Oh, Grace, I have been gone for a while and to come back and “catch up” and then to see the magic of her face now…absolutely glorious !
    (Power was out since 5ish a.m., river rose about 6′ over the bridge to the ranch but we’re all toasty in our house and powered Up) Greetings to All from a very “damp” North Northern California

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  2. beth Avatar

    Did you rub earth into her face? I have to say, this cloth has been one of my least favorites… Up till now. That choking sensation I had early on. And then she felt just too human. But what you have done lately… She is turning into that female watcher presence I know so well. Not human at all. Gentle and fierce all at once.

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  3. Michelle in NYC Avatar

    The extra Kantha shifts perspective and it’s wonderous. I know that carefulness with fire…and the joy of watching when fear passes and the work is getting done…I would have been over with the goats I think. Nice to have an audience.

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  4. Nanette Avatar

    Not nice I know to laugh because you thought you had a detached retina, but I did, scared all the cats laughing out loud. I’m glad it was just your camera, actually it was laughing more at your casual unconcerned comment I think. I like the kantha on Her face too,very much.

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  5. julie Avatar

    They’re like life lines in her face.

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  6. patriciaspangler47@gmail.com Avatar

    eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. alchemy in many forms. face coming alive in cloth. the power of fire. the blackened earth from a certain angle looks like another portal into the underworld. i’m back to square one in many ways. not knowing when i’ll ever stitch again. but coming here because i need to.

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  7. Marti Avatar
    Marti

    She has changed, is more vulnerable while at the same time, commanding presence and also strength. La Que Sabe must now accept the Gaia side of herself because with the dirt coloring, the kantha stitching and the long stitch intersecting her face, I see scars…scars of womanhood, scars on the land. She is powerful in this vulnerability because as I look at her, it is her steely eyes that compel, that speak to not only bearing witness but coming out on the other side…Unbowed.

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  8. Dana Avatar

    She is still the dominant force, but now she is indigenous…more integrated. The leaves of grass are graceful connectors.
    I, too, laughed at the detached retina resolution.

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  9. jude Avatar

    the burned spot of earth reminds me of her eyes.

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  10. sparrow Avatar
    sparrow

    to me the blackened earth looks like an eye.

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  11. Michelle in NYC Avatar

    Hey–am I imagining I see tiny printing of words under her right eye (left in the picture)??? I can’t quite make it out..and maybe it’s just lines.
    And, regarding your comment on my blog ‘waiting for my return’. I’ve been back since the night of the 2nd, but constructing a new post sometimes takes research and time, and I’m working on one now like that. There’s an easier one I may post first…soon.

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  12. Liz Avatar

    For the record … retina issues present like a lightning show behind your eyes … hard to miss and easy to fix if caught right away.
    More to the point … I thought I loved that the kantha that surrounded the woman in the cloth, but even more do I love the kantha under her eyes.

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  13. grace Avatar

    with the news of the deluge, the first i thought was of how it is
    for you. 6 feet over that bridge that i have in my mind from
    seeing…that’s a LOT. But you are good and powered up….
    YES…thank you for telling this. My Good Love to North Northern California and to you and your man there and your home and your LIFE
    LOVE and LOVE to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  14. grace Avatar

    no. colored pencil. And yes, i know you have a hard time with this one, but i never saw what you saw. I needed to continue beyond that beginning time because of what I saw. and that you say gentle and fierce all at once, then
    this is so so good. Because that’s how it is.

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  15. grace Avatar
  16. grace Avatar

    yes. when fear passes and the work gets done., yes. This.

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  17. grace Avatar

    it was just a word i know of…detached retina…like some kind
    of major eye thing….and as it was going, i thought oh…well
    detached retina, wouldn’t you know….
    kinda how i am. But also with some HUMOR, glad you caught that
    and glad the cats got a jolt too

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  18. grace Avatar

    life lines. i can imagine some Other Worldly Being who is
    connected to the goings on on this planet having WAY deep and
    Serious Life Lines

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  19. grace Avatar

    i am missing you

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  20. grace Avatar

    those intersecting stitches. interesting that you saw scars
    because when i put the kantha i thought of how i used to be
    really enamored by facial scars…the deliberate scaring of
    some cultures that tell story
    Coming out on the Other Side…
    i love these words…
    and always,
    Unbowed in the end

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  21. grace Avatar

    am SO GLAD that the humor came through….that’s SO hard….

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  22. grace Avatar

    i need to go back to a Single Eye

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  23. grace Avatar

    yes it does. it does. an eye. the Mark of seeing.

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  24. grace Avatar

    yes, i read of the journey but am waiting for the Home till i can
    go back and read the journey and then the home coming. They are
    part of One Another to me…

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  25. grace Avatar

    i do too. and near her
    mouth

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  26. .cynthia Avatar
    .cynthia

    me too

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  27. .cynthia Avatar
    .cynthia

    she is..and she keeps becoming more…i so love having her fill my screen…i am so glad to here you speak of fire this way..i worried so much about burning this fall..and every one around me seemed to burn things so much more easily..i could so imagine burning up the meadow with the cows…of course i did not..but it seemed so possible
    so glad you had a gentle one

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  28. grace Avatar

    it IS possible. to burn everything. sometimes it DOES happen.
    Not all the time, but sometimes and FIRE is so much the Elemental.
    I respect fire enormously. Here, if a spark skips just so many feet, there is so much that will ignite. and when that happens, it GOES
    and there is no turning back.
    i do not have the Right to take that chance.

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  29. Michelle in NYC Avatar

    I’m home–there is no homecoming coming.

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