Month: June 2020

Isolation Diary: Working in the garden today. Took some pictures of bees to send to the World Bee Count (an app on my phone). The bees today were especially passionate about covering themselves in pollen, sometimes two at a time in a large flower. I hope I wasn’t intruding, being indiscreet. Skipping over other news and reactions to events: I have been sewing garments for myself. I have a lot of fabric that I bought with the intention to make something but then did not. Bought some time ago. Pulled out every spring, along with some patterns. But maybe the pattern isn’t right or I’m not attracted to the fabric in this moment, so I went shopping instead. But not now. No shopping. Been using this fabric and these patterns and presently working on a third garment. Having to improvise. Can’t go out to get the perfect buttons. But I have a bunch of buttons. Sewers, you know what I’m talking about. So one garment has buttons of different colors. One is lacking in buttons. And one has surprise red buttons. I mean they took me by surprise when I decided they were the best choice. We sewers have buttons but not always 6 of the same kind. Work with what you’ve got. This garment was supposed to be a dress but I think it’s more like a long open jacket type thing. With red buttons. Would never have happened if I hadn’t been alone in my house and without access to ‘the right buttons’.

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Christie M.
That whole “Necessity is the Mother of Invention” thing didn’t come from nowhere! Pictures!

Corey K.
There’s a jacaranda tree next to my balcony and the bees were having quite a time last week with the blossoms.

Ruth Silveira
download the app, take a photo!

Isolation Diary: Not just isolation now but the racism bloom. By that I mean the issue has undeniably manifested. Began the day by spending several hours looking after Fig while Maggie and Adam worked and wrote. then…. There was an essay in the LA Times today titled “What does it mean to be white?” by Frank Shyong. The “In America” is implied. He didn’t have any good answer. But I thought about this question off and on for the rest of the day. And I don’t have any good answer either. The only thought I had that I have any confidence in is that SOME white people of my generation and perhaps the one after me, grew to ‘maturity’ in a culture, while varied, lacked imposable input from other cultures. I mean by ‘imposable’ that other cultures, races, ethnicities were not invisible, just not necessarily pertinent. And then I stopped musing and listened to a D and D podcast and sewed on the dress/coat thing that is developing in its own way.

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Maggie M.
Thinking about race, talking about it. Uncovering and examining our own biases. That’s a big part of social justice work.

Ruth Silveira
Keeping in mind, I grew up in Sacramento. Going to San Francisco was a long and exciting trip. Heck, a trip to the library was a treat.

Isolation Diary: Tonight I felt truly isolated when nothing loaded when I clicked ‘Home’ on FB. I found a way to switch back to the old, the classic, version and there are all the alarming posts that I have come to dread every late night. And yet…I keep reading. But some good news today. Supreme Court not a disaster. In other news: I have put aside the finishing of that dress/coat thing I was sewing to make more masks for the family so proper washing can happen. And because I have lived in this house for so long and been involved in so many different projects I have fabric, I have elastic, and I have wire. Armature wire. Why do I have that? Because I built a horses’s head for the show ‘Bukowsical’ How can I ever again throw anything away?

As of September 4, 2021, the Supreme Court is a disaster, as the Court let stand, by refusing to support an injunction, a draconian Texas anti-abortion law that deputizes anyone anywhere to sue anyone in Texas who helps a woman obtain an abortion once cardiac activity is detected (not even a heartbeat). Doctor to a passerby who pointed in the direction of a women’s clinic. The Federal DOJ is suing Texas. The stress of the last year will not abate.

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Jen D.
Ruth, at the beginning of all this (99 days ago for us) I told Bob I was never going to run out of projects because I’ve squirreled away so many small craft things!

Julie C.
Haha…we have some more armature wire if you run out! Sigh. Wish I could deliver it in person and eat cookies in your house.Kathi C.I loved them too. They were not only beautiful but super functional as they were light and quick to get on and off.

Kathi C.
If you think you might toss it, I’ll take it!

Ruth Silveira
I don’t have the head, don’t know what happened to that. Just the left over wire.

Isolation Diary: My own musings seem so trivial given the drama in the streets and elsewhere and some nights I can’t bring myself to post anything . But tonight I am hopeful. And hope is always good. And a good thing to share. I don’t think anyone was killed in Tulsa today. Not that I’ve heard, anyway. Might seem like a sad and small reason to be hopeful. Still there it is. I am grateful for all those who have been marching and protesting and supporting. May they all be well! I have stayed home. I cannot face the possibility of being separated from my family or endangering them. And as for endangering my own health….there are a whole bunch of things I’ve been putting off that still need doing. Take care

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Paul B.
Never trivial. Yes it was a blessing that all that anger didn’t turn violent

Isolation Diary: Two things–I visited some friends today. A backyard visit. Backyarding we call it. They have been careful. I have been careful. We kept our distance. Still, it felt almost normal. Such a good thing to have a few people one can meet in person. Second, you remember I mentioned the desiccated opossum I retrieved from my garage? Well, through a variety of processes which I will not describe I ended up with the bones. Photos attached. Anyone who knows about animal anatomy, please excuse my near ignorance. My main question is “Where does the creature’s brain lodge? You and I have a sort of helmet skull. We have a two sided brain but the sides are connected. This animal has a bone structure right in the middle of its head. So even though Maggie finds this all at least questionable and at most repulsive, I’m glad I did it because…..where is this creature’s brain? And how much brain does a creature need? Humans have a lot of brain. I guess a Mind is what is imposed upon a brain, or is using a brain. But I think the brain also exerts it’s influence. Habits, for example, are brain patterns. Reactions are often brain reactions. At first, at least. Two different things: the brain and the mind.

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Ruth Silveira
Oops, forgot the photos.

Ruth Silveira
skull from above

Ruth Silveira
skull from the side

Ruth Silveira
Is this weird?

Guy P.
Ruth Silveira Weird is currently appropriate. I’m glad you have found something you can be interested in.

Ruth Silveira
Oh, I won’t go any further with this. the bones, I mean. I will probably still wonder about the brain and the mind. This small encounter was just something the universe offered that I accepted. I will pass the bones on to my grandson, Duncan, 10 almost 11. Maybe his school will want them.

Corey K.
I think you should make the bones into a marionette and then write a show around it.

Ruth Silveira
Corey K. Maybe i could get Joyce to help me.

Sandy R.
You are amazing and you make me smile! Yes the brain and the mind, two different things.

Kathi C.
After hearing about this creature decomposing in your garage I was intrigued, slightly terrified but the bones look pretty cool and I’m betting Duncan will like them. I would not have had the guts to clean him or her. I’d be the one screaming upon seeing that in my garage and calling for assistance. You are very brave and very inquisitive which are lovely qualities to have.

Ruth Silveira
Duncan thought they were cool.

Karen I.L.
!!
!!
!!

Isolation Diary: Today I visited a friend. In person. Yes, we could have talked on Zoom or FaceTime but an in person visit is so much better. And not just because she shared with me a delicious treat from TJs. No, because we were sitting outside, at distance, and as we talked we were delighted by hummingbirds and dragon flies. One hummingbird dipped below the umbrella we were under and hovered just feet away so we could admire it. Just a little gift. And the conversation flows easier in person. And goes places that are unexpected….because, perhaps, of a hawk soaring overhead. Or some small or large change she has made that wouldn’t come up in a remote chat. We talked shop–she is a fellow improvisor. We played. A delightful 3 hours. I see my family frequently but I miss the stimulation of encountering a variety of humans. I am going to continue judicious, select, and careful ‘backyarding’.

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Carolyn K.
Been trying this lately. Soothes the soul!!

We were beginning to figure out how to live with this pandemic.

Isolation Diary: Okay, okay, I finally changed the water filter. I do not like this job. It requires delving into the under sink cabinet. Everything needs to come out, the mats need to be cleaned. Water gets on the floor. The whole chore is awkward. Strength is required, and turning things that are too big for my hands. I always end up shouting, “I hate this!” Twice or three times today. I left the kitchen in a mess and the mats drying while I went off to play D&D, which is always fun but today a little frustrating because I ended up in a deserted tavern making a ladder while others went and got in big trouble and I couldn’t help them. We are playing in person now. At the end of our session I did pass the opossum bones on to Duncan. Later, back in the kitchen, under sink stuff safely stowed, while washing the dishes I had KCET playing on the TV, a folk music rewind, a fund raiser, of course, but i found myself, in my salmon colored too large rubber gloves, as I washed cookie cutters, tearing up as I listened to Barry Mcquire sing “Eve of Destruction”. Because….I was there when this song was first being sung. And here we are again….!!! Although….I am not pessimistic. I feel we will progress. But our country is rather crazy right now, being helmed by a crazy person who is encouraging craziness in others. Because I got so emotional listening to the protest songs, I did, in fact, call in a donation to PBS. So….wear your mask! Please. We have no leader, but we have information. Love to you all.

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Holly B.
Thanks for your words of inspiration, Ms. Ruth.

Isolation Diary: Two things I noticed today because I was home, as I am, most of the time. The nightly fireworks and firecrackers….Why? The police can’t do much, could use some help. So this afternoon when I heard firecrackers close by, I went out front to investigate. Sound coming kitty-corner across the intersection upon which I live. Children and adults out in the front yard. Setting off firecrackers? What should I do? Go talk to them? No. No need. I realized the sound was the child having a glorious time jumping on bubble wrap. (BTW, I recommend this.) But tonight, as every night lately, there was a huge explosion outside my house. I happened to be close to a window and I saw a man running from the intersection back to a car parked right next to my house, get in, and the car sped away. I think he got in on the passenger side. So, are these people getting a kick out of coming to this intersection and setting off some huge firecracker? Not a firework, nothing pretty. Just loud. The nightly explosion is irritating because it is so loud and so startling. But seeing this person scurry back to the car and then hot tail it, moves the whole thing closer to the silly category. I imagine these two people sort of gleeful that they have once again gotten away with making a loud noise. A loud noise. I will not expand on that although my mind darted off on a tangent. I whisper a good night.

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Maggie M.
Even though the Atlantic piece linked here gives level headed encouragement to resist conspiracy theories – Stories like yours make me wonder if this uptick in fireworks is more nefarious? I know that more people are setting off more fireworks (which in my opinion is rude and unneighborly) but… are the police also doing it? Maybe I should stop making tin foil hats….

Jake L.
I’m not usually a conspiracy person, but there’s something weird going on with these fireworks, I can just feel it in my bones. Very scientific reasoning, I know, but I’ll send you some foil.