9/15/2014

Steady on

9


My last night in Scotland, a very diligent effort was made
to wash every trace of mud from my boots.
Never have they been so clean
as when I had to travel with them!
But it was the right thing to do and although some twinges of nostalgia
crept in for good times mucking about in that great River Tay,
better the remnants gurgle down the guest house drain
then land me in trouble with inspectors on the Other Side.


Since returning home, my head's been down so to speak.  Not too much blogging
yet slow & steady work has been afoot nonetheless.
A determination came home with me; a drive to better understand a few things,
conduct a few experiments, and to continue finishing the great pile of unfinished. 

A good deal of time has been spent
encouraging color from plants



exploring through failures and leaps of faith
without really knowing where all of this is going.
I'm putting trust in the process, following my intuition,
doing the work without knowing the outcome
because the work will take me where I need to go.

I don't need to know right now where that is.


~ inside the glasshouse, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, Scotland ~ 

Back in August, I began to post [almost] daily to my Instagram gallery ...
What started out as inspiration from Susannah Conway's daily prompts for August Break
has become a regular editing practice that's proven so valuable, I continue still.

In the beginning it was a way to post a somewhat unruly backlog from the Scottish adventures
but it's become so much more. My addiction to photo apps has found a comfortable outlet
where play, practice - and sometimes downright outrageousness - can be shared
with fellow picture makers.  I learn so much from them.
The creativity within the Instagram community as a whole
is nothing short of astounding.



Remember these?
Slow & steady work is happening within the pantry shelf jars, lots of changes over time.
Seven months and still counting ...
I'm oddly amused to not be feeling the least bit impatient
to view the results.  An indicator, surely,
of a certain kind of faith.




9 comments:

  1. The eco print is just awesome! I'm truly amazed at what gorgeous colors all you eco dyers are getting these days. I never came close! Coming home from travels always requires a decent spell of time to get back into your everyday life. It will be interesting to see what's next for you. xo

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    1. Thanx Connie, am plugging away with great earnest trying to catch those colors and seriously,
      have many many failures. All lessons, right?

      Looking forward to seeing where your book work is going to take you ;>]]

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  2. Oh, I so loved this posting! I felt as if we were sitting down for a cup of tea and telling each other our secrets or our dreams or just where we were that certain day. So wise of you to not stop but just keep doing slowly as the mood or the day direct you - meanwhile carrying your Scotland memories deep inside you.

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    1. We've done some assorted path-travelling, eh Penny? All good stuff, the good & the not so good.
      I always enjoy our short bits of conversation ... we've been *talking* for ... hmmm ... about 5 years now
      and hopefully it will be for another 5 more ....

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  3. as my son the athlete says, "consistency is key" or perhaps a robert frost quote, "the best way out is always through" one I keep pinned on my board lest I forget. sometimes there is no other choice. xo

    (wish I could rss feed instagram :( )

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  4. hmmm... haven't worked out how to join instagram without a mobile phone but really enjoyed looking at your fabulous photography over there (can see the work just can't follow or comment)

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    Replies
    1. ooh sorry, Mo, should have explained that ... Instagram has very strict use rules and although the general public is allowed to view galleries on the internet, posting pictures & comments etc. is confined to ones mobile device only. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, you can't join Instagram without one ...

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    2. ... should have said, confined to 'membership' on ones mobile device ...
      Hope that all makes sense.

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