on friday

On friday I travel to Kerkyra, Corfu to pitch my tent. On Thursday I pick up the van and Antonia who will travel with me. today and tomorrow I wash and pound rugs, pillows and drive myself nuts

A list is what i need to make, an external keeper..instead of mentally going through that list every 3 minutes.

and accept that I can't control everything

aaaarrrrrghghghghgh

I"m pitching my tent

the sun is back

I'm pitching my tent next week in Corfu

Why is it that for about two weeks it all seemed impossible, too much, overwhelming, difficult,

and today it is possible, beautiful, challenging
maybe because spring is here
maybe because time heals
flowers look to me as if they are praying.this year
we had national independence day today. And I live in a real village. we even have a village fool.he is, of course, the gravedigger.I was thinking about identity. and myth. and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and why. and how they are untouchable, sometimes.

blog for the japancloth

I have opened a new blog to document the wishing/prayercloth for the people of japan project, here: wishingcloth

mythcolour will still be the personal blog

I've reposted the relevant posts from here, and there is an update from the storytelling event.

there is a moment, when someone is thinking about what to write that what is going on is nearly visible- a vortex of stillness and silence is created about that person, and the concentration is palpable.

I am not a religious person in any conventional way, but this I believe in. I can see it happening, and I can feel it in the thumping of my heart in my chest.

Yes, it is a kind of mending.

it makes tears come to my eyes and a smile on my face. it is good.

japancloth

had a sleeping think

no rules for colour.. the idea is to use what we have

scraps with wishes

I have a little pile, and I'm off to Athens with the loom in my bag

lets see if I can collect a few wishes at the coffee shop where I have a business meeting

the cloth for the people

So this is the practical side

I'm proposing to make a cloth of woven "wishes" or prayers written on scraps and pieces of cloth

I will gather these scraps on little looms I am going to set up at storytelling events beginning on Sunday 20th March which is world storytelling day which this year has the theme of WATER. Our event here in Greece will be dedicated to the people of Japan.

The little looms will be set up at a quiet spot with a basket of scraps and an indelible pen. Anyone who wants to can write a wish on a scrap and weave it into the loom. it will be a quiet moment of breathing in and out..a small dedicated doing. A prayer if you wish.

I will gather the little cloths and stitch them together into a larger one, respectfully paying homage to the japanese tradition of "boro" the study of which has nurtured my soul these past few months

I am open to ideas about what to do with the resulting cloth..even only symbolically I am thinking of ways to offer it to the people of japan

I have made this proposal known to other storytellers at the world storytelling day mailing list, and have received a few mails indicating interest in taking part in this project. I thank you.

for anyone interested in making a scrap woven cloth and/or sending a scrap to be patched onto the larger cloth I would be happy to receive them at

pobox66

marathon 19007

attica

Greece

to make a simple frame loom you only need a frame which could be anything strong enough..a shoebox, a tray, a basket, (see pictures)

you can tie strips of cloth to make the warp or use string

the wish scraps are woven "under over" these warps

I propose we use indigo or blue cloth, also white is ok because I can dye them in my indigo vat

it is the colour of the sea, and the varied tones will make a beautiful cloth

please, If you are going to send wishes, it would be better for the stitching if they are from natural fibers(cotton, linen) and not too stiff

I wish to say that this idea has evolved from the "ferment"of ideas shared in the classes by jude hill and the lively exchanges in online conversations with clothmates.

for an idea of what boro is, an introduction, see here and click boro on the sidebar

I will post again about this later

any ideas and comments are welcome

it clicked

will be posting more..just at the jotting down stage, but I want to document thoughts on an idea

on Sunday is World Storytelling Day, and we're organising an event at the museum of ceramic art, where the lessons of the school of storytelling take place

this year the theme is water. I am going to tell of a storyteller telling tales unceasingly to the ocean which listens, dreaming, quiet. No one knows what the ocean will do if the storyteller falls silent..

this, according to Jean-Claude Carriere is an ancient persian legend

I heard it for the first time in Cadiz, Spain, facing the Atlantic ocean

I told it for the first time on the day the tsunami hit indonesia

it is time to tell it again.

I will also set up a little frame loom and place beside it scraps of indigo cloth and pens, so anyone that wants to can write a wish or a prayer and weave it into the loom to make a cloth

create a moment of silence, of breathing in and out and making a wish of love for the people hurt by the tsunami, the world that needs mending

thinking of the cranes for Hiroshima

I have only just sent a first message to other tellers organising events these days for world storytelling day telling about this idea and already I have a first response from far away

the idea is to gather these scraps and patch them together into a comfort cloth

and find a way to send it give it to japan

(this part needs some working out- maybe the embassy once things start rolling)

and to activate mythologue, the open meeting of storytellers who got together and told stories in Athens after three people were killed in a fire during protests

and organise a mythologue event, and make more wishing prayer cloths

and ceremonies of mending

and at schools and in the tent

and anyone who feels like it can send a prayer scrap, or a cloth of scraps for the cloth

i think blue, indigo is the colour

what do you think?

all the preocupation with boro is maybe bearing fruit

ah yes, today I received news that the attikasos reforestation is finally going to take place..

will talk more.

people travel

an ordinary day on a tiny island

Iwas in the desert and I came back to snow. now the sun is out and spring is here. we had a pocket size winter!

the sun has taken its rightful place on the babycloth, along with beasties and beings.

now to get the pins out

in the rain

little things and big things sometimes the littlest are the biggest

still raining

the spaced concept in decoration

grey and cold

i'm off for a few days to a desert land

on a whim of my mothers

telemaco's heart cloth

a treasure, all by himself

you can see the intent