The snows fell fast and furious on February 5-6, 2010. Predictions were from 2-4 inches in our area; the Southeastern part of the country was predicted to receive 30 inches of snow and sleet.We received 10-12 inches of the white stuff—-heavy and wet snow covered the roads and everything else. Here’s a look.
Feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone, (o), to let me know you’ve been here.
Wander over to My Town Monday to see what other folks have to say about their towns.
When 6 of the 8 tiles I had painstakingly carved cracked in the bisque kiln, I was somewhat disappointed. I had expected to have them ready for the holidays. The patterns were wonderful; yet the cracks were certain to migrate through the pieces. I left them on my work table, wondering what to do.
An artist friend came into the studio, and we talked about the pieces that were less than perfect. What is it, I wondered, that makes an item a “second.” Could I embrace the crack as the nature of that particular piece?.
I began to think about the whole concept of perfection. We look at ourselves and question our hair, or our eyes or our body types. We look at our homes or our jobs or our families and compare them with what the dominant culture tells us is perfect.
Nature does not determine that an oak tree or a rock or a lake is less than perfect. Why do we as humans tend to put conditions on our environments, our relationships, our lives?
When Amish women make a quilt they intentionally make a mistake; mid-Eastern rug makers do the same. Only the gods are perfect. A finger mark or tiny crack on a hand-crafted piece is really the mark of the craftsman. It lets us know that the piece was made by a human, with all our imperfections, rather that a machine.
The mark of the craftsman does not detract from the beauty of the piece; rather, it enhances it, I think. And it is the challenges and experiences in life that give our lives texture and richness.
It is, I believe, time to let go of our notions of perfection, and embrace that which makes us human. Keeping that in mind, I wish us all an imperfect holiday.
These skilled hands wish you kind, happy, healthy, loving and peaceful days.
The Village of Peninsula, Ohio, is home to several beautiful churches and chapels. Here is a look at the steeples of Peninsula:
Members of the Peninsula United Methodist Church worked long and hard to raise the money to restore the steeple of the historic church. Here is what it looked like prior to the restoration:
The steeple was removed for restoration:
Check back for a look at the beautifully restored steeple.
If you are so inclined, please consider visiting the Cups of Kindness website for holiday gifts. The Foodbank is able to purchase $7 worth of food and grocery items with every dollar raised. We the People can make a difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors.
One. Cup. At. A. Time.
**************
Visit My Town Monday for a look at places near and far. Join us! And share cool things about your neck of the woods
As always feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.
I have written about Laura Weldon (here), a woman I am honored to call my friend. Laura and her family live on a small family farm in rural Ohio, where they thoughtfully and attentively raise plants and animals in concert with nature. Chickens and cows live uncaged and graze among the plants that grow on the farm.
Laura and I have often talked about the challenges of living our philosophies; neither of us could tolerate doing it any other way. We know that the way we live our lives is a political statement. We try to live by the abilities which we have been given, and by learning other skills that will be of benefit. Laura and her husband and partner Mark have been pursuing a path that is similar to the one we have chosen. She writes:
“I think the real story here has to do with living by one’s abilities and doing what one believes will be of benefit. We’ve always tried to do that, although now the economy has made it a necessity. Not so long ago Mark made decisions that affected employees and corporate earnings, but this past year of unemployment his humble efforts have taken on a sharper focus. He’s sold firewood, honey and produce from our farm. He has custom designed movable chicken coops and built bathroom vanities out of repurposed materials. He and I are working to establish a network linking urban farms to rural farms. A job would be easier, but maybe these times are calling us to live by our essential abilities. I guess that’s how the greater good tends to be advanced.”
Mark’s explorations have led him in many directions, including crafting the beautiful sink pictured below. There is something satisfying about seeing a lovely item that transformed into something just as beautiful.
For more information about the work and products of Bit of Earth Farm, please visit here. If you would like to read more of Laura’s writing, please follow this link.
As always, feel free to leave a comment, or a stone (o) to let me know that you’ve been here.
Visit My Town Monday for a look at how folks here and there see their towns. You are welcome to join the MTM crew. Craft a post about your town, and post a comment here. Clair Dickson, the chief cook and bottle washer at MTM, will add a link your post.
When my brother-in-law died unexpectedly this summer, my husband and his sister lost a brother, my in-laws lost a son, my children lost an uncle, my niece and nephew lost a dad. Others lost a friend and neighbor. Then 33 days later, my niece and nephew lost their mom to cancer.
I am no stranger to the anguish of loss, and to the hard work of grief. These are great equalizers, and experiences no one wants, but everyone will share.
It is one thing to see that there is a need; it is another to actively respond to it and to generate a solution to the problem. One person with an idea plants the seed and nurtures it. And so the Bures-Wershing Memorial 5K Walk-Run was born.
One hundred-fifteen people, from 2-62 years of age, from all walks of life, and assorted locations, shared their common ground. Eighty-six walkers and runners, twenty-three volunteers, and others who couldn’t come, but sent their support. One hundred-fifteen people sharing an experience. One hundred-fifteen people who, with their hearts, reached out.
We all do live in the same town, you know. We breathe the same air, look at the same blue sky and the same full moon. Members, all, of the family of man. When we help each other, we all win. Common ground indeed.
As always, feel free to leave a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve been here.
I am taking a break to deal with some family health issues. Hopefully, My Town Monday and From Skilled Hands will return later in the week.Have a great week.
Who’d a thunk I’d be spending hours editing photos of a festival that commemorates a reptile. Me. Of all people. Who jumps when a wee little snake is seen in the garden.
The Village of Peninsula, population 601, enjoys its celebrations. From the Quarry clean up day, to the 4th of July, to Peddlers’ Day, to Christmas in Peninsula. We know how to celebrate. And the 55th anniversary of the sightings of the Peninsula is no exception. If you want to read more about the Python, slither on over here.
As promised, here is a video of this year’s Python Festival. And I have a new skill: I uploaded it to You Tube!
If you are unable to see the video here, click on this link.
And the winner of my high tech contest (where I drew a name from a hat) for one of our favorite mugs is Rudeek. She will be receiving a mug in the mail soon. Thanks to all who posted comments and sent mug shots
My Town Monday was started by Travis Erwin. Travis has retired from the MTM helm, and has passed the torch to Clair Dickson. She has created a blog just for MTM, where she posts links to bloggers who write about their towns hither and yon.
I’ve shared a fair number of stories about my town, the Village of Peninsula, population 601. It is a wonderful place, a small town with a big heart. A place where folks look after one another.
We have been in the Village for 20 years. We have experienced births, deaths and all that goes on between.
We celebrate creativity, from those who have gone before us and who carved out a life for themselves and for their families in a rough and tumble canal town, to those who, using their hands and hearts create things that, we hope, will enrich our lives and the lives of those around us.
I am thankful to those who took a stand for freedom. These words are important. They were not chosen lightly, and they are as significant today as they were when they were written.
![[Bloglines]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/bloglines.png)
![[del.icio.us]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[Google]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[kirtsy]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/kirtsy.png)
![[LinkedIn]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/linkedin.png)
![[Reddit]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/reddit.png)
![[Squidoo]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/squidoo.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Technorati]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/technorati.png)
![[Twitter]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
I have written about 
When my brother-in-law died unexpectedly this summer, my husband and his sister lost a brother, my in-laws lost a son, my children lost an uncle, my niece and nephew lost a dad. Others lost a friend and neighbor. Then 33 days later, my niece and nephew lost their mom to cancer. 
