September 2021 to March 2022 (Samhain to Equinox)
The weather suddenly turned seasonal – a cold north east wind, and as one said, the Hazel had finally let go of its leaves, the wood was now naked. Undeterred, our stoic stalwart Elders reconvened in Kaliwoods, this 6th of January, the Epiphany.
Gabrielle read the poem by TS Elliot, the Journey of the Magi
A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of year
for a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.
And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow….
We wondered about snow in that part of the world, (yes Jerusalem receive snowfall every year and the temperature averages between 4 and 12℃.).
Having not seen each other since last year, we asked what was troublesome and what gift of joy we’d received over this time.
Juggling or was it balancing family, some sofa surfing, some princesses and the pea syndrome to work around; all plans thwarted and cancelled with COVID, getting COVID with christmas day lunch in isolation – family outside the window looking in; uncertainty. But out of this disaster came – the friendliness of neighbours and a midnight romp on a tramper nearly into the Blyth river; taking midnight mass in Wissett with a family member present, being inspired by creative Kally and began making a tapestry out of all the wool collected over the years.
Chi Gong under the hornbeams, lots of tapping, good in the cold.
Back to a fire, where we displayed our objects, each one chosen by another and in pairs we relayed the story of our object: A yellow pot, made from local clay, an exotic bird from a woman who lives on within it. An object acquired 30 years ago from a Bali hotel, used to attract the attention of the waiter – was it purloined or gifted?
An impressive Knitivity, which is potential hedge to immortality. Knitty korona….A robin that visited throughout lockdown named Robbie, probably male as it fetched food to feed others,now probably dead but hopefull that son of Robbie will come, named Robinson. A remarkable smoothing iron and some remaindered glass slag, from Huguenots families. Leaves symbolising a desire to sleep in the woods and be wild, shaped like hammocks; an egg (blown) boiled in onion skins made with a daughter; a camel foot from the Sahara desert close to Timbuktoo; a great white bird opens its wings, in metal by a metal worker inspired by Tai chi classes.
We ended with a joke:
The early bird gets the worm. But the second mouse gets the cheese!
”What am I doing behaving like this at my age!” and we all burst out laughing!
Links:
Weaving Centre
About the Weaving Project
KE Consent Form
KE Information for Elders
First Weaving project 2020
Contact
info@kindaeducation.org.uk
rachelkellett@gmail.com
Dates
Sept 30 – Introductions
Oct 7 – Weaving and Dyeing
Oct 14 – Dyeing and conkers
Oct 21 – Dyeing and drawing
Oct 31 Samhain Sunday
Nov 4 Leaf letting go
Nov 11 EARTH
Nov 18 AIR
Nov 25 WATER
Dec 2 FIRE
Dec 9 WOOD (crafting
Dec 16 (Solstice)
Jan 6 Stories – story of an object
Jan 13
Jan 20
Jan 27
Feb 3
feb 10
Feb 17
Feb 24
Mar 7 (Equinox)
GET IN TOUCH
Shona, Kally and Rachel are keen for you to get in touch with us.
07920055888
Supported and sponsored by:
The Pear Tree Fund
Kinda Forest School 