I'm writing this to you on Monday morning, on an unexpected MCPS closure, the end cap to a busy weekend filled with Thanksgiving, skate park hangs, a dear friend's wedding, wreath-making walks, Levi's 8th birthday party (at Spinner's Arcade, so cool!), and lots of FIFA World Cup games peppered through out. I hope that everyone's holiday was joyous and abundant and nourishing. This can be such a hectic time and I've been so grateful for some sunshine and mild weather and the time to get outside and enjoy it. For those of you who have followed along for a while, you may remember my “walking wreaths” from last fall, which I started making on impulse, and which quickly turned into part of my walk itself. For weeks I couldn't walk without also making a wreath. The parameters were always the same: make something beautiful using only my hands, my intuition, and the things I found along the way. I never brought snips or wire or any other tool. I experimented with grape vine, porcelain vine, willow, honeysuckle, and forsythia as the base and added in sprigs of iron weed, grasses, goldenrod, aster and bittersweet. Things that would dry nicely as well as things that I knew would only last for a few hours. I made big ones and small ones, nearly-perfect round ones and more goofy wonky scrappy ones. My goal was always to simply notice what plants were speaking to me that day and to situate them into something pleasing. I was energized by the seemingly endless possibilities and so I followed that thread with joy. I allowed myself to slow down and enjoy the process. It was exactly what I needed. |
|
When you are a creative who is used to producing, that is making an end product that someone has likely already paid for or that you hope someone will pay for, it is incredibly easy to become tired of creating. And last fall, after having finally delivered every gorgeous Covid-rescheduled wedding for months in a row, I was there. The burn out was REAL. These wreaths helped me tap back into creating just because. Creating to make sense of the world, creating to tell a story, creating to conjure something into existence that didn't exist there before. |
|
So last week, when my friend Sarah at Grateful Gardeners sent me a text saying: “I got a bulk supply of grapevine and have no idea how to make a wreath with it. Caitlin to the rescue?” I was ALL OVER IT. You may have seen the resulting impromptu video tutorial on Instagram. I walked Sarah through my thought process and together we made a big ol' wild wreath from some of the more substantial sections of vine. We brought order to the chaos. We filled our creative art-making wells. And the next day, while on my walk, I was inspired to re-visit my old practice. Without any end goal in mind, I freed a giant piece of grapevine from the trees, wound it around itself, and tucked in all the most beautiful bits I could find on my miles-long path back home. I couldn't be more proud of the piece that resulted. |
|
This practice serves as a reminder to me that art and beauty can be found just about anywhere, even (and maybe especially?) in the in between moments of our day. We have SO MANY demands on our time. Just while writing this newsletter, I've had to do the following: tie Johnny's shoes twice, yell up the stairs to stop fighting, feed dogs their breakfasts, answer questions, wipe up a spill, pour some cereal, tell Maisy where to find the scissors. I'm not even naming all of them! Each time I've sat back down to write, I've had to take a few deep breaths to come back to that place of focus. These wreaths have become a physical manifestation of that…of finding the focus again and again. My wish for us all, especially during this winter season, is to find those moments where ever we can. Maybe it's just making a cup of tea, maybe it's re-reading a favorite poem, maybe it's just closing your eyes and feeling the sunshine on your face. May we take time for these things again and again. May our wells be filled by these actions. May we experience rest and beauty and comfort, simply because. Thanks for being here, |
|
Take $10 off your online order before the end of the year with code: SUNGOLDLOVESYOU |
|
New for next year, you will be able to choose from THREE Friday pick-up locations: - The Flower Shop at Rocklands Farm (Seneca, MD) - Locals Farm Market (Poolesville, MD) - Palisades Hub (NW Washington, DC) |
|
We were overwhelmed with the positive responses from our 2022 customers and cannot wait to offer these again. The option listed now in the online shop will be very similar to last year's, with cosmos, zinnias, celosia, marigold, rudbeckia, ageratum, gomphrena, and strawflower. Basically, all the best basics, our favorite cut-and-come-again varieties in the prettiest colors. Folks were texting me all summer long (and into fall!) about the bouquets they were making from their Curated Cut Flower Gardens. I'm wondering if anyone would be interested in different collections in the future, perhaps flowers that would be great for drying, or for natural dyeing? Herbs? Flowering vines? Perennials? Respond to this e-mail and let me know! Growing baby plants for you is one of my favorite things, and I'm already looking forward to clearing out the greenhouse and starting seeds after the new year. |
|
Consider forwarding this newsletter to a flower-loving friend! |
|
|
