"It's Complicated"

I promised didn't I?

 That I would show you what Girl Monday does when she's not here weeding; helping move chickens; planting x y or z; or hoeing this, that, or the other....

She claims; quite erroneously; that she knows nothing about horticulture after having spent the last twelve years grafting for me.

Naturally she knows loads; but what she means is that she is quite happy not to be required to know.
Someone else is in charge ; she only has to do; not organise; not plan; not be an authority; not be answerable........

'Girl Monday' practises the art and craft of; and teaches; and researches; and writes books about; and runs a business supplying the materials for; Kumihimo.

The ancient, meticulously mathematical art, of Japanese braiding....One could very easily get horribly tangled up with it...

She's even been to those Isles to teach it back to them... Talk about 'Coals to Newcastle'...

Pictured above are many hand made braids stitched together, which eventually covered the whole surface area of a jacket. It might make one weep to calculate the hours of work involved. And if all those hours were charged; even at the minimum wage it would run into the thousands; but that is not what it's about...

All very well you might say for someone able to indulge in 'La di da' crafts whilst the rest of us have to go out and graft at a dull job to earn a living....

Yes indeed.

 GM can now make a living at doing what she does. But that doesn't mean there weren't many years of having margarine instead of butter; (ultimate sacrifice in my book) and folks hinting 'you could get a proper job with your qualifications / intelligence'. Years of wondering where the electricity bill payments were coming from; and so on.....

Now; for GM there are international teaching gigs; there are book orders; research grants coming in from all over; exciting commissions.  And that's all very well and satisfying when you can look back.....And know it worked out.

At the time with small children; swimming against the tide so to speak; wondering "am I being self indulgent?" Most folks could be forgiven for opting for a safer, more stable career path....

And then what? What is the point of all this 'art n craft n doing your thing' stuff?

 It is what makes us human perhaps?

Makes our hearts sing? It doesn't matter what it is....Some of us get it from climbing mountains; crocheting tea cosies; making (or eating) cheese; music; dancing; adorning our toenails; telling tall stories; studying particle physics; arguing the toss; growing fragrant flowers; painting our bedrooms pink; the list is endless.

Of course. first, we need to be able to fulfil our basic needs; food; shelter; safety for ourselves and at the very least our kin.
 But even whilst we satisfy those needs, something in us is looking for the other; the creative; our own voice; our own individual response to the wonderment of being alive; and here right now; on this incredible planet....

And then of course there's that:- 'This Planet'... Oh bugger!

 We all know that it isn't an infinite plain of infinite depth; with infinite resources to use and unlimited atmosphere to pollute.

But most of us; in the west at least; (myself very much included) live as if it were...

We know (if those pictures from space are to be believed) that we inhabit a tiny fragile unique spheroid of life; with the thinnest crust of usable soil; and that fresh water is a scarce miracle, and that the atmosphere has only so much capacity...

But at the same time; there is so much to see and do......

'Girl Monday' may (or may not depending on whether any burglars* are reading) have just gone off again; to the Far East; for her second fun jaunt that way this year...
She is fully aware that cycling here each Monday doesn't 'Greenwash Hogwash' Offset that.

I reckon that well over half the people I hold dearest have taken at least one long haul flight this last year, either for work or pleasure... Often both.
So with me being a environmentalist non flier you might think I would disapprove?

Well; "Its complicated"

 I love my friends, I want them to be happy and fulfilled, and have good times (just spare me too many details....)
And they are all switched on enough know the consequences of what they're doing.

And I know it doesn't make a gnats fart of a difference overall if I do; or don't fly.

We all have to decide individually upon lines that we will; or won't; cross to satisfy our desires...
And then of course those lines can shift.....

Another friend; who comes to help quite regularly at the field; has been up til now of the staunchly no flying camp.

But just recently has been offered work in backcountry Canada setting up (spot the glaring irony here) 'outdoor environmental education' programmes for children.

What to do? Principals; versus well paid work, kudos, and playing in the woods in Canada...

They would be crazy not to go....

It's relatively easy to have principals when you're not being overly tempted.....
But when you are? That's when the really hard work begins.....

As Oscar would have it.

"I can resist anything; except temptation"

And then qualifies with....

“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful.”

Whilst I was checking the attribution was correct.... Dear, dear Google.... This; of his; also struck as apposite...

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” 

It is something we can all claim as being the worlds leading expert on....Being ourselves.... For good or ill.

And what that is, shifts, and is complicated.......

*She has housesitters BTW.....

https://www.careycompany.com/jacqui-carey