I woke up feeling stressed this morning and not refreshed at all. Not sure what the feeling is about but I'm thinking of Maya Angelou's quote describing tiny annoyances as being "pecked to death by ducks". My heart is being pulled in too many directions of interests and concerns. My goal is to not leave home today. Other than the chores of housework, I'm looking forward to starting on a 1000 piece puzzle with Ade and Peter.
I have some hand work I brought home from my workshop to keep me settled. I'm adding random x's in red thread in the yellow quilt pictured in the post below and I'm outlining the birds in orange floss on the other piece pictured in the previous post.
For dinner today I have a recipe for shrimp and grits. Ever since I had this dish in South Carolina many many years ago I've been trying to replicate it without success. Of course the shrimp I'm buying will never compare to what one gets in coastal areas and I'm using quick grits which I like but REAL GRITS! ummm, nothing like them...they just don't keep well.
Last night I found this beautiful blog post on artist Xenobia Bailey's blog on her visit to the home of Aminah Robinson. Over four years ago I read about Aminah Robinson on Serena Fenton's blog and then later saw one of her overwhelming pieces at the Underground Railroad museum in Cincy. And no more than 15 minutes prior to finding the post on Bailey's blog, I was using a 25 dollar gift certificate from Amazon and debating whether to purchase one of Robinson's books...I didn't. Don't know what it all means but it just felt like something I had to recognize. Here is the post: Aminah Lynn Robinson.
More than her art alone, it is the WAY Aminah Robinson lives that brings forth so many affirmations of what it means to know thyself from an early age and what results from having the courage to be true to one's calling in the face of what passes as socially acceptable norms or social dictates. I think in youth, when one is trying to establish their own identity (conscious or unconsciously) one mistakenly runs toward their own oppression, or substitutes one oppression for another. Freedom over me, Aminah!
Thank you for the link. Sometimes, I have this fantasy of living in a home where I can use art and things that inspire me in every nook and cranny - sort of an outsider art dwelling.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could come by and help with the puzzle!!
Funny, this morning, I was thinking about much the same thing--too many interests, too many concerns. Instead of settling down to one thing, the pulling into different directions had me in monkey mind. What often happens when I get like this...is that I can do nothing; but this morning, I pulled myself up short and went on to meditate and do my yoga. Two things knocked off the list.
ReplyDeleteLove that puzzle! Colorful, beautiful, inspirational. Thanks for the link to more inspiration.
I just purchased a book at a workshop I was at this week that talks about exactly that- too much going on in our cluttered minds! I'm hoping to find ways to let go of the clutter and just be in the moment.
ReplyDeleteIf those shrimp and grits turn out, I'd love the recipe. I also was introduced to them in South Carolina- first time I'd had grits that I liked, they were so different from the ones I'd grown up with (Grandma was from Georgia). And you can buy the good ones, just keep them in the freezer.
Have fun with the puzzle, it looks lovely and challenging! I'm off to sew lots of leaves on the quilt!
Thank you, I just spent an hour learning as much as I could about Aminah. What a unique individual/artist. This is why I love your blog, you always have such interesting links.
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