For Day #1 of Transcending Potash, I got up at 5 am. I sat zazen (it seemed never more critical than today). I drank my cup of tea (also very critical). I worked on all the last minute details - finished crocheting a cushion for sitting on in the tent, looked up where I could make copies of the clues I came up with for the treasure hunt, took a bath in the awesome claw foot tub at the house where I am billeted and (again, critical), played with the very old and sweet cat here named Merlin.
Living in temperance (the true meaning of the word, not the one that the Temperance movement gave to it, which is the opposite of temperance), I acted with purpose and calm.
Well, sort of. Actually, I had all my usual pre-project jitters where I want to curl up in a ball in a corner and just wait it out. Months of work and focus and effort and my reaction is: I don't wanna. This happens every, single, time. I make the project and then, could I please just go home now?
But no! I thought about Colette and her fearlessness - in her performances and her life. Surely I could find some gumption and get myself out there! I put on my special "We want our utopia now" dress (and apron) and headed out.
I headed out, ignoring the heavy rain pouring down. By the time I reached the first clue location, it was clear that this thing was not happening. The festival organizers agreed - wait until tomorrow.
A strange case of watch what you wish for...I felt quite disappointed even as I felt a twinge of relief too. And, suddenly a whole day without obligation opened up to me. Part of the festival was a knit-in at a cafe near the gallery. I could do that. A talk on yarn bombing by the Regina artist who made that amazing chair piece. Sure! Sounds fun. Maybe I will take a nap too.
But just look at that statue of Chief Whitecap (supposedly) pointing out a good place for the Temperance colony to settle to John Lake, the minister from Toronto heading up the expedition. It is just begging for some kind of intervention. Amazingly, this is not from 1950 but was put there in 2006!
Tomorrow had better be sunny...
1 comment:
!!! have a great day off and i hope tomorrow is beautiful so you can get this fabulous project out of the way and not worry anymore . . can't wait to hear about it. make sure someone else takes a picture!
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