Shreds and patches

One of the many things I love about Greenbelt is the way that it often seems to reconnect me and my children with the streaks of creativity that we allow ourselves to squeeze out for too much of the time.
Sometimes it's simply a question of being inspired to do more - so I tend to come back and write manically for a few weeks, as things that I've learned, things that have touched me, bubble away and emerge in new thoughts and connections of my own.
This year, though, a particular joy has been watching Hattie Gandhi, always an enthusiastic and gifted writer, allow her visual artist to come out and play as well.
Earlier this summer, together we delighted in jo(e)'s artistic extravaganza with her BeautifulSmartWonderfulDaughter as they worked to transform her student room. This year, HG too has moved out of her hall of residence and is renting a house with her friends and she dreamed of making her room just as beautiful and entertaining....but the letting agent advised her that redecoration was just not permitted, no matter how wonderous. So we talked, in a slghtly disheartened way, about how she could really make the space her own...and there the matter rested - until the morning after Greenbelt. What could better illustrate the idea of heaven in ordinary than a wonderful rich patchwork, make from many of the garments that HG and I have jettisoned as we struggle with our Seven Things agenda?

And what could possibly make the transition from Greenbelt to everyday life better than coming home to some of my favourite young adults spreading themselves over our living room floor being creative?

Later in the week, HG spent a day in the drive, happily painting a tree that will be the basis for a wall hanging, since she can't paint the wall itself.


She moved into her house yesterday and phoned several times to share her pleasure in it...and I'm longing to see the wonders she has wrought from our discarded clothes and one bargain basement sheet.