Learning new skills, refreshing spaces, planting seeds, and team work.

More often in these days of social media and DIY productions, we see skills and crafts that may take months, even years to be somewhat proficient, presented in quick & easy time-lapsed videos with catchy music that go from start to finish in 90 seconds with a finished product that amazes. I can speak from personal experience that this can lead to trips to the local craft store for supplies, frustrated tears, and a half completed attempt either in the garbage, or tucked in a box somewhere.

Time for a new approach. Find a professional, learn from them, and stay positive.

Open Weave Basket Workshop

with Carleigh Fairchild from humannatureconnection.com

This was a 3.5 hour group class over Zoom with wonderfully talented and skilled Carleigh. She sent the materials for the basket beforehand so that all that needed to be done was soaking the pre-cut reeds in warm water for about 30 minutes prior to class starting.

I will note that because of severe weather issues, the post office was delayed in getting my supplies all the way across the country until a few days after the class. It all ended up working out fine, and I was able to successfully weave my first ever basket. Reflecting back, I think it helped me learn better as I took notes, and was able to ask questions while observing her and the others making their baskets.

I had the experience of seeing all the different issues that could happen and how to deal with them without having to make those same common mistakes. Plus, I was able to see the ways each basket was a little different while perfectly functional, and in my opinion, that’s the point of doing it yourself.

Carleigh also sent a link to the recorded class afterwards, and made herself available if I had any questions. From her good instructing, I now know what spokes, weavers, and twine weave mean. Also, you can use a dinner fork in place of an awl to get the handle secure, and spokes tucked in tight. I have a great feeling I will soon be able to say, “I have a basket for that.”

With the confidence gained after learning a new skill, I went forth and tried applying some of the same thought patterns to help refresh the rabbit space here. I have never raised rabbits, in fact, my only prior experience involved getting bit and peed on my a friend’s pet bunny years ago. Honestly, they always kind of freaked me out as a kid when I would see the white ones at the pet stores staring me down with their bright red eyes.

I have seen the cute video clips of snugly bunnies, and the not so cute video of how to harvest them, but neither made me want to run and get my own. The thing is, when you choose to live in an intentional community, part of being successful is stepping out of yourself to help others when there is a need for it.

I doubt anyone really loves the smell of cleaning cages, or loading the soiled ground cover into a wheelbarrow so all that “goodness” can be utilized in other areas; I’m not a fan, but I can say without a doubt, when you see the results of teamwork, a project well done, it’s easy to love that.

Seeing how intertwined life together can be, how the fertilized land will sprout food for the chickens, to feed the person scooping the poo…it makes you appreciate learning from those who will teach you.

It makes for a nice today, and a better tomorrow.