Journey and song
It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go we have come to our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings. ~ Wendell Berry
The creek at Charles A Lindbergh State Park a few Springs ago
“The impeded stream is the one that sings”.
I let that one sit in my brain for a while. I can hear it, the sound of the stream making its way around the obstacle in the middle, water tripping over stones, rushing and gurgling as it lurches forward. Forging a new path instead of stopping.
I can see the beauty in that, and I recognize that there is no growth without struggle, but I admit I’m not always that optimistic when I’m in the middle of it. I don’t always think of it as a singing stream. At least not in the moment.
In the literal sense, moving water is one of my favorite sounds. When I was young, I spent hours at the winding little creek (crick) at the foot of what felt like the only hills in all of the flatlands of northern Illinois. We ran wild there, swimming in the deepest parts, running our hands through the silt in the shallow parts. We’d fold paper boats to float downstream or toss sticks in and race along the bank to see who was faster. We’d come home wet and sunburnt and still trilling about the day’s adventure. It’s funny how, some 40+ years later, I can still feel that water moving through my hands. Even now it’s not unusual to find me in the middle of some creek ankle deep in mud, letting the water rush through my fingers, listening to it sing.
In my last newsletter I talked about making connections, and that theme continues. It seems making connections is on the minds of many wonderful, community-minded people in my circle and I’m excited to be part of the conversations and project-planning. I hope to have news to share soon.
Some of those conversations have been with my favorite farmer friend, Candice from Treeline Acres, and our talks have inspired a number of veggie-themed pieces. I’m so looking forward to being a part of her grand opening weekend coming up in early May. I’ll be there at the farm on Saturday May 9th, helping folks make some block-printed cards just in time for Mother’s Day. Check out her event page for more details.
Coming up soon in the studio:
Thursday April 8th - Open Studio 6:00-8:00 - stop out and dabble with needle-felting
Thursday April 16th - Third Space Thursday with The Sowing Room - drag makeup 101
Saturday May 2nd - 11:00-2:00 - Spirit Doll workshop with Patricia Lintner
Thursday May 7th - 6:00-7:30 - Creatives, Artists, and Culture Bearers Focus Group - visit The Sowing Room for more information or contact me if you’re a local creative interested in participating.
And finally, with my aforementioned affinity for water (and the toad tattoo on my wrist), it may not come as a surprise that I am volunteering for the Frog Watch program through the MN DNR this year. Volunteers throughout the state will be surveying various bodies of water, Spring through late Summer, to identify the types of frogs and toads there listening to their calls. Why? From the DNR website - Because amphibians are vulnerable to pollution, disease, invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change, population declines can go unnoticed without coordinated monitoring. They are sensitive indicators of wetland and environmental health andin a state as large and ecologically diverse as Minnesota, community scientists make this work possible.
And also because it’s going to be fun. I wonder what kind of art this activity will inspire.
If you think someone else may enjoy my work or my newsletter, please consider sharing this with them. These kinds of personal connections are so much more impactful than me shouting into the void of social media. And if you’re local, consider coming out to an Open Studio or dropping by on a random Thursday evening. I’d love to chat with you and show you around.
Thank you so much for reading. I appreciate you.
