monday musings

i have a love-hate (hate, mostly) relationship with the work of lena dunham, but her fierce, feminist lenny letter is growing on me. it's a gathering of smart, honest, courageous, strong women, writing about politics, culture, the workplace and even menopause. i highly recommend subscribing, especially if you're a woman, but also if you know any women. 

in one of the many excellent podcast newsletters i get, (this one from gimlet's reply all) i learned about the vibration cooking cookbook, by vertamae smart-grosvenor. i found it available as an eBook through my library and i was paging through. it's only part cookbook (including recipes for racoon and squirrel), but mostly memoir. and in it i came across this lovely notion on the upside of being tribal. i'll admit i didn't think tribal behavior had an upside, what with the state of the world today, but this passage made me reconsider:

"when you are tribal you don't have slots for loving--you love. you can find a different kind of love for everyone. you love cousin blanche because she was your granddaddy's sister's child; "aunt" belle, even though she ain't really your blood aunt, because you feel just like she was kin to you. what i mean is, it (being tribal) gives you a big heart."

and it strikes me that these days, we are in need of bigger hearts.

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it was about time we started to openly discuss the lies.
and you know it's bad when the wsj calls him on it. 

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and because we need to think about something else:

why not about design, AI and future cities?

or the future of photography?
speaking of feminism, the british library is making material from spare rib available online.
maggie may is always able to write beautifully, even about the pain of life.
look what you can find if you go dumpster diving in denmark - enough to feed an army!
and how about a writing assignment from the vinyl cafe?
this animation by kristen lepore is profound and sad.
and this one is just plain weird.

not particularly wordless wednesday

strangely, i don't really have a lot to say today, which is odd, because i've got tons of exciting things going on. developments towards that office/creative space that i've been wanting, plus some great projects on the horizon and some that are just finishing. lots of possibilities are hovering all around at the moment. i'm juggling approximately five great books at the moment. it's actually strange that i don't have loads to say about all of this, but i just don't, so i'm not going to force it. instead i'll share with you some really great links. click them, you won't regret it.

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i like this.

and this.

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and how amazing is this flat, abandoned untouched in paris for 70 years?

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this makes me long for manila (and wow, what an inspiring woman!)

be sure to read the interview that comes after all the fabulous photos.

hello from sunday evening

it was one of those days where time stretched.

expanded.

became exactly how much we needed.

the cows are as curious as ever.

the farmers in the neighborhood are harvesting their wheat and rye and barley.

sophus (formerly known as sophia) escaped and ran around outside the cage.

we rode the horse and bonded with the cat.

husband has started another building project.

a deluxe pig shed. with an attic.

it's right next to the chickens.

and they think he's just hanging out, keeping them company.

i'm personally thinking of squeezing them, to make them lay some eggs.

it's hard waiting for them to begin.

there was time to paint a snail -

with rather a modern feel.

raspberries were picked and preserved (with homemade vanilla).

and rosehip syrup was made -

for those vitamin c hits we'll need next winter.

homework is done.
everyone's bathed.
we've had a dose of kitchen inspiration.
we're ready to face a new week.

* * *

so cool: lost library project
baking for bunnies.
loving these thoughts on inspiration and breaking with old ways of being.
and feeling inspired by thoughts of a place like this.