Shop Class...

These two quotes are for parents of children who choose a path different from what may be touted for the "masses". Let us remember that knowledge does not come from books alone!

From Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew B. Crawford:

"The fact that a firefighter's knowledge is tacit rather than explicit, and therefore not capable of articulation means that he is not able to give an account of himself to the larger society. He is not able to make a claim for the value of his mind in terms that prevail, and may come to doubt himself. But his own experience provides grounds for a radical critique of the view that theoretical knowlege is the only true knowledge."

If you have a child who learns kinesthetically, the following is food for thought...

From Doug Stowe's blog, "Wisdom of the Hands":

"[in] schools, we create artificial learning environments for our children that they know to be contrived and undeserving of their full attention and engagement... Without the opportunity to learn through the hands, the world remains abstract, and distant, and the passions for learning will not be engaged."

I don't have the answers to the problem, but if studying history/construction/color theory/expressive language through art technique, or mechanical engineering through auto technology are part of it, then let's support those endeavors as highly valued ones too.

Tangled...

Recently, one of my picture-taking themes has been branches. I can only give credit to my plant-loving mother for this, as it came up while I was taking her for a wheelchair ride through the gardens of Clarewood House. She does love to get outside, and to watch things grow. It is truly painful to her to see a plant neglected to where it dies. She was commenting on a stately oak tree on the grounds, one of many, whose huge branches spread so gracefully that they become subjects for artists in residence who still practice their skills.

The next chance I had, I ventured out onto the path leading from our new visitors' center down to the historic property, taking pictures of every interesting view of branches I could find. Of course, we all are taught of the basic symmetry of nature, and the way trees' branches erupt is a perfect example - and each species and each tree has its own symmetry. But what of this tangle above? Each of the parts has its own life entering the fray. Each is healthy on its own. Each comes out healthy on the other side. Kind of like a family.

I would not go so far as to say our family is "tangled", as for some reason, that might have a negative connotation to it. But there are many variables in each of our adult lives right now, all to be worked through in the next 5 years or so. It's not a bad thing to have a tangle as long as you can be gentle finding your way out of it. It takes lots of patience, and no rash moves.

Art Crochet

I confess that I have never really started a crochet project with the idea that it would be an artistic piece. Always, there was a practical goal such as to make a hat, or an afghan, or a trivet, or a rug, or a scarf...something that had a use. If in the process, that useful item became something colorful or beautiful, then all the better. Not that I ever intended for any creation to be ugly. Some just turned out to be somewhat plain.
However, recently, Chapelwood handed its members the challenge/opportunity to create a work of art to express their new mission statement. Mentioned in the list of possibilities for media was crochet, so last night, I sat down with a bag of scrap yarn, and fashioned something. It was late when I finished the stitching, so I left the finishing off for today,as I knew that I would have some time this afternoon while sitting in for the weekend cashier at Bayou Bend. It lay out on the desk while I helped customers, and many commented on it, saying that their mothers had crocheted, or how it seemed to be a fading art, or asking what it was, etc. Turned out to be quite a conversation piece - that, and the horrible heat outside.
I learned to crochet because my grandmother crocheted. I asked her to show me how once, but she was quite a character and informed me that I could learn from a book. She was not being mean. Her eyes were failing at the time, and I suspect that it would have been hard for her to show me how to make the stitches. There is a point at which you don't really think about what you are doing - you do it all by feel.
So, why would someone who plays musical instruments necessarily need yet another thing to do with her hands? Well, it's a totally different activity. There is something about feeling the texture of the yarn in one's fingers, the repetitive motions, the give and take, and the mindless motion creating something tangible that is uber-relaxing. While playing an instrument can be its own form of relaxation, it is also more of an athletic feat than it looks like, and the brain needs to be in gear for it to work well!
Clint has taken pictures of some of my crochet...I hope to post some to add color on board!