Debbie has a new straw hat, complete with big black bow. She’s pretty happy about her new acquisition too. Congratulations, Debbie!
Perched
Sarah often follows me as I wander around the barnyard. She doesn’t get underfoot. Rather, she keeps me company. Here she is laying on the stones that make up the edge of the bank leading into the barn.
Feeding Sarah
Pinning Hems
Melinda and Debbie have been working hard on a new ensemble for Melinda. The final outfit will consist of top, underskirt, and over skirt. Debbie is pinning the underskirt, a job best done with Melinda up on a short stool.
There has been a lot of hand stitching as well as sewing on the hand crank machine. Next up, buttons and button holes for the top and assembly of the over skirt.
On another note, I just love the light in this house. There is no electricity, so all of the light comes from large windows that can be found in every room.
Deep in Hot Water
Before butchering hogs, you first need to scald their carcass in water so that you can scrape the bristles off of their hide. At the farm, we use an ancient steam engine to heat the water.
Then a team of men get to work scraping the hair from the animal. It’s not pretty or pleasant for modern sensabilities. How easy it is to buy our food from the market and have no real idea of how it got there.
In the Breeze
I wanted her to notice me. To see me for the first time and perhaps recognize that I was present. But in her world, I was less than a shadow. Less that the light breeze that teased her hair with the prospect of flight…of freedom.
The Experience of Joy
Sometimes it is possible to experience another person’s joy just by seeing them doing something that they love. A sort of happiness by proxy. When Mary dances, I often wonder what is in her head. But, I don’t want to dwell on the thought for fear of losing that sensation of enjoyment of the moment.
Melinda’s Wheel
Charley’s Lambs
Some of the ewes at the farm had twins and that means a few extra lambs that were not getting fed by their mothers. That’s where a team of workers stepped in with their giant bottles of milk and hand fed them until they were old enough to eat on their own. As you can see, Charley has taken to a few of them. Or is it the other way around? Either way, there is plenty of affection going around.
It’s the first time that I’ve seen lambs act like dogs.
Here are more images of sheep to get you through the weekend.
Do Ho Suh
On two recent trips to Cincinnati, I had the opportunity to see Passage, the exhibition by Do Ho Suh, that is showing at the Contemporary Arts Center. I am really pleased that I went back for a second look. Suh’s work consists of reproductions of rooms, stairwells, appliances, sinks, tubs, and more from many of the different homes that he’s lived in over his life. They are constructed of stiff fabric built over a wire armature.
As I walked through the exhibits, I was struck with a sense of cold nostalgia. Familiar items were faithfully reconstructed in fine detail, down to the labels inside the refrigerator. What was missing was any sense of human occupation or connection. I was struck by the scale of the effort and work. The light filtering through the fabric was gorgeous and the colors added to my interest. However, I could never quite lose a feeling of loneliness, sometimes even sadness.
And maybe that was Suh’s point. During his life, he has lived all over the world and I can imagine in the process he was never able to develop a sense of home. As always, I use the feel test when I walk out of an exhibition. Did I feel something? Good or bad, it doesn’t matter. I think Suh’s work passed the test with bonus points.
Here are some images to give you more insight into his work.
tim mcmurdo 