Run Softly

I just finished reading a sweet old book called "Sweet Thames Run Softly" by the engraver Robert Giddings. I think it was in the 1940's that he floated on the Thames (a dream of mine) musing about the flora and fauna, the characters he met on the way, on just life in general. At the end of the story is this: "Some people say that it is impossible for people with imagination to be truly happy, for realizing all the misery that is in the world they must be affected thereby. This seems to me a doctrine of defeat. Admittedly there is cruelty and illness and poverty, but there is also abundance of kindness, good health, and richness of spirit. For every child that cries by the roadway there are fifty who are laughing in the fields; for every bird that is taken by a hawk there are a hundred still singing in the trees. Even in these days when hell bursts upon our world, like boiling lava from a volcano, let us remember that for every insult offered to humanity there are a hundred deeds of heroism." He wrote this while WWII was brewing, could be good words for today.

Summer of Love

Memorial Day Weekend in Taos, and the Summer of Love marketing ploy is going strong.  I am already a little tired of all the hippie trippie stuff, but I put on my peace sign necklace and cruised the art galleries and craft fairs.  I'd given away my 60's clothes ages ago, can't fit into those bellbottoms any more, but hey, I looked at my clothes I wear now and my long hair and I fit right in.  Just no tye-dye please!  Or patchouli incense, ugh.  Taos is celebrating the colorful legacy of all the hippie types who lived here in the 60's, all those communes and free spirits, and the fertile ground that let so many ideas flourish.  I saw Lisa Law's show of photos taken during that time, then went in to see a movie called "Absurdistan" which was great.  All about the power of women!  Very funny movie, I'd recommend it.  A bleak dry village that desperately needs water but the menfolk are too lazy to work for it, all except one who wants to win his true love before the special star alignment ends.  Peace, brother!

The texture of a just-sheared alpaca!

Alpaca Fever

I had a new adventure the other day.  One of my bosses has a herd (?) of alpacas and it was the annual shearing day.  I'd never seen one up close so I asked to come along and help.  They have the sweetest faces, big soft eyes, and the softest hair.  But after they had been sheared, they look like Dr. Seuss characters!  And they make the strangest sounds.  Usually just a humming noise, but sometimes, I think when upset, a bizarre high-pitched whine like a sanding machine.  I had various tasks:  leading the alpacas in and out of the barn for the shearing, getting down on the floor and grabbing the hair as it is sheared (and keeping my fingers out of harm's way), then sweeping up bits of hair from the barn floor.  It was fascinating watching the 2-man team of shearers.  One mainly handled the animal and the other did the actual shearing with the razor.  

The Land of Scones

Old Priory B&B in Dunster, England

View from our cottage in Wales

Llanerch, our sheep farmers cottage in Wales

My sister Linda and me with Beau Brummel

Meanwhile, back in Taos

Well, a month's gone by and no postings from me.  It's Spring and new beginnings so I will try to post once a week at least.  Good discipline!  I bought one of Natalie Goldberg's books on writing and am having fun with it.  She gives you an idea and you run with it.  This is writing that no one needs to see so mostly it's "first thoughts", whatever comes into your brain at the moment.  She tries to get you to stop thinking and just write.  Just like Michelle Cassou does with painting.  I am back at my job at Mabel's and Ms. Cassou is giving a painting workshop there.  She wants to return the joy of painting to Everyone.  I went out and bought some acrylics and will give it a go.  The people who are taking the workshop sure seem happy.

And I'm finally getting up into the hills with Cadbury.  It sure is wonderful to have him back with me, that little cute brown pooch.  We are trying to make it a bit farther up the trail each time, till I can get my hiking lungs back.  And I'm back at Curves, got 10 pounds to lose.  Of course, yesterday I went to The Bean and ate an almond croissant, sigh, story of my life.  

The "Summer of Love" has started aqui in Taos.  A celebration of the hippie days here in town, and all those long-haired types who now have successful businesses in town.  Dennis Hopper of "Easy Rider" fame is in town to promote his new paintings.  He actually wrote some of the script for that film at Mabel's, which he also owned at the time.  There will be all kinds of arty and fun events throughout the summer, including a "Hippy Dippy" parade.  Should be interesting, that is, if I can sneak out of work and watch it!  Good thing I kept my peace sign medallion, the ceramic one that Dad made for me.  I actually couldn't stand the hippie scene, the communes, the drugs, the not washing, the panhandling, that smelly patchouli incense, argh.  Guess I was more into the "British Invasion", the Beatles, Stones, the music and the clothes.  So now you know, I was a teenager in the Sixties, too groovy.