Evelyn R. Swett Photography
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Making It Up As We Go

2/23/2020

4 Comments

 
Picture
Bracelet woven with coffee filter thread and other materials spun by Sarah C. Swett Photo by ERSwett
Years ago,
my sister and I
pledged to not give each
other presents on birthdays and at
holidays. We are allowed, however, to give
each other this or that when the mood feels right. In late
2018, she sent me this bracelet she had woven with, among other
fibers, coffee filters. Who knew that coffee filters would become one of
her muses throughout 2019 and into 2020? It made sense, then,
that when I went to visit her a few weeks ago, I would
bring more filters from my compost collection
collaboration with Umpleby's Cafe
​in Hanover, NH.
Picture
Washing a gift for my sister: coffee filters from Umpleby's compost Photo by ERSwett
It was
no surprise
when I came to 
her studio a few days
after arriving and found that 
she had already begun transforming
those filters into fiber, testing the differences
between the Umpleby's filters and
others she receives from
friends near and far. 
Picture
Swirling coffee filters and a coffee filter bag in the making all by Sarah C. Swett Photo by ERSwett
It was also
no surprise that
within a few days, she
had given me a copy of her
design for A Sweater Somewhat Slanted
and had taken me to The Yarn
Underground in Moscow,
ID to find just the 
right wool.
Picture
Stitching triangles - a mending project and the beginning of A Sweater Slightly Slanted Photo by ERSwett
Among
all the beautiful
wool at the yarn store,
I kept returning to this particular
pinky, reddy, orangy shade with a hint
of yellow mixed in. When I started knitting the
​first few rows, I realized that this was uncannily similar
to the colors of two childhood sweaters -
one made by my grandmother in
1972 and another by my
​mother in 1974.
Picture
Handmade sweaters by my mother (left), my grandmother (right) and me (middle) Photo by ERSwett
It's a bit
odd because
neither my mother
nor my grandmother was
a big knitter. It's also odd that
with all my purges and clean-outs,
I had saved these two sweaters and had
actually just taken them out of
​storage a few days before
going to Idaho. Clearly
I was not in charge
of my color
choice!

Picture
So for
a week, we 
knit, together and
apart. I discovered that my
hands remembered how to create 
a sweater out of wool and that I could
even read and knit at the same time. I had seen
Sarah doing this and thought it was one of
her superpowers, but it turns out it's
not so hard when you're working
with a simple yet elegant
pattern like the ones
she designs.

Picture
Who knew? Reading & knitting at the same time during a quiet afternoon moment. Photo by Sarah Walker
I love that
our relationship is no
longer ​about who's thinner or
prettier or more accomplished. Both in
our 50's (for a few more months), we now explore
our creative lives and the world in general
together. We can finally admire our
differences and celebrate
all that we share.
Picture
Sharing the emergence of something entirely new from a dress we both wore long ago. Photo by Sarah Walker
Sarah
has instinctively
allowed her superpowers
to evolve over the past decades.
It's taken me a bit longer to discover mine,
and to let them flourish. I love that I embroidered my
first stitch at the same time she sent me that coffee filter bracelet.
It was like a subversive invitation to just go for it, whatever
'it' might be. And here we are, more than a year
later, and I've embroidered an entire dress
and she is working on her second
knitted coffee ​filter bag. 
Picture
My first embroidered 'sampler' with an excerpt from Walt Whitman's poem This Compost. Photo by ERSwett
Thankfully,
neither one of us
knows where our respective
superpowers will take us. We do know,
however, that 
when the shit hits the fan and life
throws us 
curve balls, we will harness our
gifts & create beauty out of
whatever materials
are at hand.
Picture
Sarah knitting more of her coffee filter bag. Photo by ERSwett

“Whatever our gift,
we are called to give it and
to dance for the renewal of the world.
In return for the privilege
of breath.”

- Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass

Picture
Figuring out the shoulder straps on my Sweater Somewhat Slanted Photo by SCSwett
I'm now
home & am thrilled
to snuggle with my dog and
to hang out with my beautiful compost.
That said, nothing can replace how I feel when
I am with Sarah. I wonder what gifts we will unwittingly
exchange next? You can be sure, though, that
salvaged coffee filters will be part of
the mix and that 
we will be
making it 
all up
as ​we go.
Picture
Salvaged coffee filters drying earlier today Photo by ERSwett
4 Comments

A Community Climate Conversation

2/13/2020

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Picture
Inaugural Hanover Community Climate Conversation at Salt Hill Pub, Hanover, NH February 4, 2020
Who knew
that 20 people would
show up for Hanover's inaugural 
Community Climate Conversation? With just 
a few hand-made notices around town
and in a few 
social media outlets,
we drew a 
small crowd.
How cool 
is that?
Picture
Handmade Poster for Hanover Community Climate Conversation, 2020
Indeed,
what does the climate
have to do with 
fashion and clothing?
As it turns out, more than most of us know or understand.
Apparel and footwear accounted for 8% of global greenhouse gas
emissions in 2016 (more carbon than international flights
and maritime shipping), is the second largest
consumer of the world's water supply,
and pollutes oceans with micro-
plastics and rivers with
toxic chemicals.
Picture
My favorite black boots purchased on consignment from The Pink Alligator in West Lebanon, NH
Clothes 
are also something
we wear every day and that can
often make our day. I know that is the case
for me. My black boots give a kick to my step and my
long purple wool cardigan embraces me and gives me confidence.
There is no reason to feel bad about dressing in garments
that make us feel good. Our challenge is learning
how to wear clothes that both feel
great and don't harm
the earth.
Picture
Kim Souza, Owner of Revolution in White River Junction, VT Photo by ERSwett
I loved hearing
Kim Souza, owner of
Revolution (in White River
Junction, VT) talk about how she 
curates her store. While some dresses
or fun socks might sell big, she will not sell them
if they are not made in the US or ethically produced.
Joan Ecker, Founder of Fat Hat Clothing,
shared valuable insights about the
costs of clothing production
​and the dangers of
'greenwashing.'
Picture
Dr.LeeAnn T Rutkovsky shares her wisdom with Joan Ecker, Founder Fat Hat Clothing, and others Photo by ERSwett
For me,
laughter was
the best part of the
evening. Here were a bunch
of people, some more interested in
'fashion' than others, who came together
to begin a conversation about climate that actually 
started with what we were wearing. By
sharing stories about our clothes
in an informal setting we got
to know each other in a
different kind of
way.

Picture
Self portrait wearing favorite 24 year old wool sweater Photo by ERSwett
Just as one
wool sweater is 
not the same as another
(was the wool sustainably harvested,
were the sheep treated well, were the people
who assembled the garment paid a living wage?),
no two people have the same relationship to their wardrobes
and how their clothes make them feel. Like so much
in the climate conversation, there is always
more than meets the eye. Can you tell,
for example, that this ancient &
beloved turtleneck was
repaired last
​week?
Picture
Armpit holes waiting for attention Photo by ERSwett
In my last
blog post, Compost,
Fiber and Fashion
, I considered
the power of re-imagining my clothes and,
in the process, re-imagining myself. At their heart,
these reflections come from my ongoing concern for and
fascination with waste, not just of food, but of
everything. My mother-in-law saved 
her hems, because she hated
things going to waste.
Picture
Sashiko style repairs Photo by ERSwett
I repaired this
twenty-four year old
wool turtleneck sweater I bought
at a street fair in Germany because I love it,
and it seemed wasteful to find another one when I
could ​mend this one. It seems to me that how we connect
to our clothing may perhaps reflect how we think
not just about ourselves, but also about
what it means to be wasteful
in general.
Picture
Old sweater, new life & a new look Photo by ERSwett
I hope that
our first Community
Climate Conversation inspires
those who attended to think more deeply
about what they wear. More importantly, though,
I hope our laughter invites others to join these gatherings,
knowing that we find joy and have fun while
paying attention to topics that we
know about and love.

Picture
This is where we'll be: The cozy corner at Still North Book in Hanover Photo by ERSwett
Next Community Climate Conversation:
What's the Story of OUR Stuff?
(bring an object you love)
​

March 3, 2020 @ Still North Books, Hanover, NH
​5:30 - 7:30 pm

Facilitator: Marc Morgan
(By day, the manager of Lebanon, NH's solid waste facility;
By night, an advocate for deeper thinking
about what we consume
and why)
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The Power of Women in Detroit

1/19/2020

4 Comments

 
Picture
Detroit Skyline & River Photo by ERSwett
I used to 
like to travel, until
I discovered that it wore me
out. More recently, though, I have been
teaching myself how
to sustain myself and find joy
even when away from home. So when in
Detroit to visit family last week, I 
explored on foot & in a car,
with my camera and
an open heart. 
Picture
Morning Glory Coffee & Pastries Photo by ERSwett
Picture
Coffee Pie at Sister Pie Photo by ERSwett
Taking breaks
for treats & coffee 
may be a cliche, but it's a
thing. Delicious coffees and pies in
interesting places run by cool
people warms my
body and my
​soul.
Picture
Walking in Grosse Pointe Farms Photo by ERSwett
Walking sustains
​energy, as does witnessing
creative Little Free
​Libraries...
Picture
Little Free Library in MI Photo by ERSwett
Picture
Belle Isle Little Free Library Photo by ERSwett
and eclectic
gardens on street
corners inviting me to
'Be Patient.' 
Picture
A cool garden in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI Photo by ERSwett
Once again
I found myself
between generations,
sitting with Aunt Al waiting
for the dog walker to arrive and,
later in the day, celebrating my godson's
14th birthday on the 14th with a
celebrated 'Bumpy Cake.'
Who knew?
Picture
Waiting for the Dog Walker Photo by ERSwett
Picture
The Bumpy Cake Photo by ERSwett
In the midst of it all,
I was surrounded by strong
women figuring out how to find joy
in various messy places - from
single-motherhood to 
compost.
Picture
Henry the dog brings joy to his family Photo by ERSwett
You got it.
Compost. I just
can't not seek it out.
In this case, I explored Detroit
Dirt
,
a thriving organization that processes
food waste and animal manure
between old warehouses
and the highway.
Picture
Compost at Detroit Dirt Photo by ERSwett
As I stood among 
the eight mounds of compost,
trying to keep warm as it snowed and
the wind blew, I felt the power of earth's capacity
to renew itself. It takes energy to create
life from waste, but that is just
what the amazing Pashon
Murray
is doing.
Picture
Detroit Dirt Photo by ERSwett
Picture
With Pashon Murray at Detroit Dirt Photo by ERSwett
Three days before
the Women's March 2020,
I was surrounded by strong feminine
energy, the kind of energy that changes the
world. Scraps to soil. Soil to plants.
Plants to life-giving energy
so that we can
​breath.
Picture
Focusing on Everything at The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory Photo by ERSwett
After Detroit
Dirt, I visited the Anna
Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory
in Belle Isle Park. Anna's story is impressive,
but while there, warm and protected from freezing
breezes blowing off the Detroit River, I thought about the
power of focus - - When we focus on one thing, often something
right in front of us, there is clarity and purpose. Trying to
see and do it all just gets confusing. It's funny to
me how I notice the bird sculpture more
when it is blurred in the background,
than when I tried to get it and
everything else in focus.
Picture
Focusing on Ferns at The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory Photo by ERSwett
So when not
exploring and playing
with extended family, I made
time to read and sew, taking a media
holiday of sorts. I hadn't planned it this way,
but it turns out I read about another inspiring and game-
changing woman, Rebecca Burgess and the Fibershed Project.
The subtitle "Growing a Movement of Farmers,
Fashion Activists, and Makers for a 
New Textile Economy" 
connects to, well,
​everything.
Picture
Fibershed, By Rebecca Burgess Photo by ERSwett
Picture
Mending a silk nightshirt Photo by ERSwett
It seems that
2020 is turning into
a year for making connections
among people, places and possessions,
in particular, clothes. Compost remains the focal
point, but clothes and their relationship to our identities
may be a parallel story line...We'll just have to see.
But I'm having fun being with people I love,
meeting people who inspire, and
feeling the power of the
feminine spirit
wherever
I go.
Picture
Living Wall, Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, Belle Isle Park Photo By ERSwett
4 Comments

A Mending State of Mind

1/11/2020

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Picture
Stitching the rip...
This week
I have been thinking
about ​fixing and mending.
​
To me, fixing involves a tool kit used
to solve a specific problem which, when repaired,
provides a clear solution. 
Once fixed, we
move on, glad 
that the problem
has 
been resolved.
Picture
repairing the furnace
This was
what happened
a few days ago when our
furnace stopped working and two
guys came to repair it. It took some time
to diagnose the actual problem, but with their tool
kit in hand, they solved the issue. Done. 
House warm again. We move
on with our day.
Picture
the mending pile
A day
which, for me,
​involved mending - an
act that feels different from fixing.
Yes, there is a problem to solve - a lost button or
holes in a pair of joggers - But the problem
does not feel urgent, like a furnace
not working in the middle
of winter. 
Picture
the old duvet
The contents
of yesterday's mending
pile, for example, consisted of 
things with problems we had been living
with for years...literally. This tie on this vintage duvet
cover had been broken for longer than I can
remember, as had the missing button
on another duvet cover
​in the pile.
Picture
messy stitches
Mending 
does not have 
to be perfect, either.
Clearly, my stitches on the
duvet are a bit messy and the button
and thread color do not match
what was there before on
this night shirt.

Picture
mismatched buttons
My goal
was simple: Get
the job done & move on. That's
what I do in January. Finish projects,
clean up, clear out, and, as if often the case, mend
things, whether a missing button, a huge rip in my favorite
gardening clothes, my son's joggers,
or, perhaps, even the
​climate...
Picture
same overalls, similar rips, different strategies
But when
I started to mend the
huge rip on the back side of these
overalls, I got distracted, as can happen sometimes,
and decided to add some color, because, as it turns out, I had been
consolidating our thread collection earlier in the week and
happen to have found this fabulous
green (ooh I love run-
on sentences).

Picture
what if?
And I thought
it would be fun to add
some curves to this otherwise
set of straight lines. So suddenly my 'get-
the job done' mending turned into
​something else entirely. 
Picture
the seduction of curves
I became 
entranced by the
colors, shapes and textures 
that emerged. I know. These joggers
are completely absent of
​color.
Picture
losing change from jogger pockets
But the 
shapes and 
textures were so
cool and the feeling of the
wool fabric I used to repair the holes
so soft, I just had to share these 
​images  and this project
​with you.
Picture
textures of mending
Because
I realized, in the
midst of it all, that mending
is about tending to an ongoing relationship
with something or someone, whether it's a piece
of clothing, your dog or your son. Yes, there is a particular
problem that emerges at the moment, but in the process of mending
it, you change the actual structure of that which is being
mended by adding thread, new fabric, new
colors ​or new shapes. 
Picture
a very very mellow companion
And,
it turns out,
you can change the
structure of yourself as well.
Or at least, that's what happens to
me when I sit and sew. I hang out with my
dog, who hangs out with me. We ​both breath more
slowly. 
I have no idea what he thinks about,
but I stay focused on each stitch,
mindfully mending in
​that moment.
Picture
there will always be need for another button
But even
as I sew on buttons
and patch holes in joggers,
I'm thinking, always thinking, about
all those big issues out there in the world
for which we want a quick a fix, but which, in my
heart, I know may not be able to be fixed with a single tool
box at a single moment. The problems we face are just too big. But
it helps me to address them when I adopt a mending state of mind. Knowing
we will be in this for a while, I focus on relationships of all kinds and not
worry about perfection by knowing what is good enough
and by 
making sure I am open to altering my
plans by adding color here
and curves
​there.
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Storied Shelves: The Shoe 'Thing'

5/31/2019

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Picture
Love these boots. All from The Pink Alligator in Hanover, NH
 I wore these
boots from November
to May this year. Finally, a few weeks
ago, they went into the storage box, from which my 
summer sandals and other cooler shoes emerged. Time for the
seasonal assessment. If I haven't worn something for 
a year or if it doesn't work anymore,
it goes in the spring give
away pile.
Picture
cause blisters, too frumpy...
You might
think, with 26 pairs
of work boots, athletic shoes,
dress shoes and casual shoes, I'd have
enough. But I don't. My athletic shoes are worn out
and I've never really found the 'just right' pair
of casual sneakers...and with this
trip to London, it became 
clear that I needed
some upgrades.
But...
Picture
Window, The Third Estate, London
These days
I'm focused on shoes
and clothes with a story. If they
haven't been well worn by another before
me, I want to  know that the materials
used are ethically sourced, the
​stitches made with care,
and the resources
used, ​fair.
Picture
The Third Estate, Kentish Town, London
So yesterday,
there I was, in Kentish
Town, London, at The Third Estate,
on whose racks and shelves are clothes, shoes,
bags and socks made with love. Each
brand, it seems, has its own
​story to tell.
Picture
Storied Shoes at The Third Estate, London
So I had some fun.
Picture
White Fair Trainer from Ethletic
Picture
Black Fair Trainer from Ethletic
Light or dark Ethletic Fair Trade Vegan Sustainable Trainers?
Picture
These are cute.
Picture
These are cute and comfy.
Funky Kalakar 
Breathable and light
"BreLite Collection" shoes
whose soles come from recycled
tires and uppers are handspun cotton.
They truly are the lightest shoes
ever - - only 250 grams!
A perfect travel 
companion.
Picture
dark, cute and comfy from The Third Estate, London
I ended
up with dark, cute,
comfy and filled with love.
They make me feel like I'm flying.
Maybe that's why The Third
Estate has a bird on
its window
.
Picture
But here's
what I'm learning
about this thing called
"Slow Fashion." It's not about
how fast something is made, it's about the
stories embedded in each fiber and ​in the transaction
itself. Angela, who helped me, wanted me to
feel good. She knew about each
shoe company and
why they
​cared. 
Picture
Another kind of 'green' window
And the
coolest thing?

Most shopping expeditions
leave me exhausted, but after I left yesterday,
I found myself in an unexpected area, ready to explore.
Who knew that by going to The Third Estate,
​I would also experience this
colorful and nuanced
​part of town?
Picture
Cool apartments on a canal
This canal
seemed so quiet and
peaceful, but then I followed

the curve of and light 
on this living building...
curious as 
I tend to be, about the
relationship between 
the
built environment
and nature...

Picture
Living building in Camden Town
...and I found
myself in an entirely
unexpected place, where the
buildings were alive in
a different kind
​of way.
Picture
Cool building in Camden Town, London
So I guess
shoes really are a
thing for me. Comfortable
feet matter but so does my actual
footprint. I think it's cool
when I can care
​for both.
Picture
Loving my new Ethletic Fair Trainers.
3 cheers
for slow fashion,
meandering explorations, and
the simple joy of taking
time to care.

Happy June!

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My Green New Deal, Part 3

3/15/2019

0 Comments

 

Say 'Yes' to The Mess

Picture
Paris Lights, Spring 2012 By E.R.Swett
OK. So
I was really
inspired by last week's
Global Student Strikes for Climate.
If the Pope, Paris & thousands of scientists aren't
convincing enough, listen to the kids.
They speak truth.
Picture
Sunrise in Maine, 2014 By E.R.Swett

'I don't want 
your hope. I don't want
you to be hopeful. I want you to panic...
and act as if the house
is on fire."
-Greta Thunberg, World Economic Forum

Picture
Storm in Mexico, 2018 By E.R.Swett
OK Greta.
I'll try. But when
the winds blow and my heart
races, I run for shelter to protect myself and
my children. I think, "my children are
watching, I must stay calm."
Isn't it my job to
​protect?
Picture
Footprints in the Sand, 2010 By E.R.Swett
I think,
though, that you're
asking me to stop protecting by
running away. You're telling me that we,
mothers and fathers across the planet, have to protect
not by seeking shelter from the storm, but
by facing the wind, rain and fear
and calling them what
they are. 
Picture
"Yield" by Roxy Paine. Crystal Bridges Museum, Arkansas. Photo by E.R. Swett
This, 
for example,
is a work of art that
looks like a tree and this is
a tree that looks like
a work of
art.
Picture
Is this a real tree? Which will yield first? Photo by E. R. Swett
My Green 
New Deal Part 1
:
Celebrate FDR's Creativity.
My Green New Deal Part 2: Beware
window dressing. One of these trees is not real.
Do not be deceived
. My Green New
Deal Part 3: Say yes, Greta,
I will embrace the
truth.
Picture
Sunrise in Maine, 2014 Photo By E.R.Swett
But to 
embrace the truth,
I must name it. We have a
problem that frightens me. Those fires
in California and floods in the Midwest are daunting.
Then, I listen to Franklin Delano Roosevelt
and remember that "the only
thing we have to fear
​is fear itself." 
Picture
OK. Here I am. By E.R.Swett, 2015
Got it Greta.
Got it President Roosevelt.
I'm on it.

Picture
A Tree in Bloom, Anytime. By E.R.Swett

"Jazz
improvisors
focus on discovery
in times of stress...They interpret
challenging situations so that
fear does not limit
​choices..."
-Frank Barrett, Yes to the Mess

Picture
Hanover Neighborhood Action Group 4th of July Parade, 2018 Photo By E.R.Swett
I am not
a jazz musician,
but I love the energy that
comes from a group ​of people working
together to find solutions to real problems. With our
Neighborhood Action Group (the NAGs),
we've walked in a parade and 
organized neighborhood
conversations. 
Picture
Hanover Energy Forum "Sneak Peek" 2019 Photo By E.R.Swett
For ongoing
inspiration, I've started
listening to podcasts hosted by women
(it is Women's History month, after all)

who say yes to this mess with
humor, compassion
​and joy.
Picture
Neighborhood Action Group Planning, 2017 Photo By E.R.Swett
Here are three that I currently following:

Mothers of Invention
(With former Irish President Mary Robinson and comedian Maeve Higgins)

No Place Like Home
(Anna Jane Joyner & Mary Anne Hitt; Sponsored by The Sierra Club)
​

Cultivating Place
(
With Jeniffer Jewell - Focus on gardening, but really about the human spirit)
Picture
Big Green Machine & The Parade, 2018 Photo By E.R.Swett
Greta -
This is how we 
express our panic in New
Hampshire. I know we look silly,
but we're listening - - to you and to each
other. Personally, I'm grateful to you for keeping
us honest and 
inspiring us to say 'No'
by saying  'Yes' to
this mess.
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My Green New Deal, Part 2

3/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Vintage 1992 handmade bathroom curtains - - still in use.
Let
the light shine!
It's daylight savings time.
And maybe, just maybe, the snow 
will melt by April and the
morning temperature
will be above
zero.

Picture
Bathroom blinds with a view.
In this
Green New Deal, Part 2,
I get real about our energy conservation
at home. And since we're talking
about light, I thought I'd
explore windows.
Fun, right?
Picture
Cheap shade in the kid's bathroom.
We have lots
of them - 67 in fact -
that are essential sources of
light and stunning ways to frame
views of our garden and Vermont. But
in terms of energy, even our 15
year old double-paned 
'new' windows
leak heat.
Picture
The 'translucent' kitchen shimmering shade.
Over the years,
we have slowly added
insulated and other shades to
help keep the house warm in winter
and cool in summer. Some are even color
coordinated, while others are thin,
cheap roll-ups. We even 
have plastic in the
​livingroom...

Picture
High tech insulating shades with custom color to match the room.
Clearly, we
have a hodge-podge.
Of course, my favorites are the
​ones I made when first married in 1992 and
the re-used ones from my grandmother's house that
I found in her attic when she died and then
hung in our living room a decade
ago - - just to try
​the colors...
Picture
Gram's old curtains, hung with thumb tacks and a ribbon.
This week
I've been thinking
about  the idea of 'window
dressing
,' of giving a superficial, but
misleading impression. Most of the 1930's New
Deal murals
I studied in college (see last week's blog
​post, My Green New Deal, Part 1) were colorful
celebrations of the American Dream,
a dream that for millions of
people at that time
was a broken
​promise. 
Picture
These stayed down till 10am when the outside temperature finally reached 15 degrees.
Sometimes, 
I feel surrounded by 
broken promises - - The dream
of a house, but no one tells you how much
money it takes to maintain it; The dream of filling the
house with things you need and love, but no advertisement
reveals the true cost and impact of those objects.
So now we have ten years to adapt to
the realities caused by our
​own behavior...
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High tech insulating shades that keep things warm in winter and cool in summer.
Ok. That is way
too heavy and way too
guilt-ridden for my tastes. So
let's go back to light, color, texture
and the glorious convergence of creativity
and climate action. I love this time of year. It's still
cold and inside projects still beckon, like
making the curtains in my studio
warmer by sewing old linen
napkins onto them... 
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Plastic on a window or cool light, texture and tone?
So I'm
excited about 
our family's Green New
Deal.  We have a decade to make
the rest of our 67 windows as energy efficient
as they can be.  To achieve that goal, we will take stock
of what needs to be done, prioritize and make a
plan.  For now, though, I will continue to
appreciate this crazy mix of window
'dressings' that 
continue to
keep us warm and 
I will
keep noticing 
the
afternoon
play of
​light.
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Ikea curtains in my studio - ready for adaptation.
Explore Energy at Home Playbook
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Puzzles, Part 2: A Plan

12/19/2018

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I don't know about you, but I love the clarity and
focus of a puzzle. I start with the edges and
move on to specific colors or scenes.
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 Sometimes I have to change my
perspective or walk away and come back later.
It's amazing how even then, it can be hard
to see what is sitting right
​in front of you. 
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Like these gaps.
I spent hours looking...
I sorted the
pieces by shape and color and still had no luck.
Then my husband showed up and in
less than two minutes, these
​three holes were filled.
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At first, I was mad.
How dare he come along and 
​make it look so easy? 
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And then, I remember.
That's what makes a second opinion
or a second set of eyes so valuable. New perspectives
make something seemingly difficult
appear simple and self-evident.
How cool is that?
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So in my last post
I talked about Reparations and 
Carbon Offsets and how excited I am to 
share my family's offsets with our local Advance Transit.
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It was easy to go online and set up sustaining monthly
donations. We've amortized what we owe, so we'll
pay off our travel debt over time,
while also supporting
​an invaluable local
resource.
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When I think
about climate action,
I realize it's all about sharing - 
not just the financial resources we may have,
but also our time, ideas and points of view. It turns out that
collaboration is critical, but so is having a plan, like
strategies for a jig-saw puzzle, or methods for
paying carbon debts we didn't even
realize we had.
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Will Moses, Butternut Bend 24 x 30 www.willmoses.com
I may be an artist,
but I am also a planner and, 
rumor has it, a motivating teacher. So I've
created an online 'class' that inspires people to dive
deep, take control, and find joy as they
participate in guided action
throughout 2019.
​Stay tuned...
If you are looking for a climate action plan, I've got one for you.
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