exploring Do Ho Suh’s sublimely transporting passages at the MCA
photo by Richard Whitfield
Muffin the magic black cat giving me lessons in the Zen of waiting for a month in the city
settlement has been delayed on Dunmovin, the old lady in the nursing home who owned the house died early this month so her estate has to go through probate before I can move in which will take at least 3 to 6 months (or more) to get through the courts
yesterday I hung my 2023 Moon Calendar in the studio here at Hat Hill Road
I don’t have to pack up any time soon so there’s lots of time to ride Free my fabulous electric bicycle
& go bushwalking in these beautiful Blue Mountains
slowly stitching the edge of the long cloth of grief and wonder with red silk
the long cloth is from Japan, indigo dyed, handwoven hemp with the most beautiful hand
Old Man Crow is here with me in spirit, I have been seeing double ever since he died. On New Year’s Eve I realized that this is happening because I am seeing with his spirit eyes as well as my physical eyes so I am learning how to bring these two ways of seeing into focus. I always manifest my metaphors literally, that’s what being an artist is!
It's Crow Time 
Oh, that legal stuff, took so long to finalize the sale of my old place.
Double vision is fascinating…
(((Jude))) there’s a shimmer to everything
I think muffin has the right idea! And that is one beautiful cloth from Japan! Love that you named your bike Free.
(((Glennis))) “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose” as sung so straight from the heart by Janis Joplin
Mo~ I woke up thinking of you ❤️ I understand that in between place (for a different reason of course). I hope you can move through this time with ease. The long cloth is already so beautiful. The edge wrapping in red is wonderful, red heart to hold you. I’m glad OMC is there with you during these days. xo
(((Nancy))) may you be well soon & have many more years of joy and wonder!
Liminal space which shimmers… (((Mo)))
(((Susi))) trying to sketch the shimmer is tricky with slow stitching I find my way by touch
Feeling your way slowly through touch is a beautiful way forward dear Mo
I had been wondering, but asking was too crass…now, seeing “That” jacket, my wondering is answered. ((Mo))
(((Di))) his joyful spirit is here with the crows calling from the big gum tree out the back, playing with the wind spirits, leaping down the waterfalls shining in the rainbows
I hope your wait is closer to 3 months than 6. xx
(((Jenny))) this morning I visited the next door neighbour at Dunmovin who has power of enduring guardianship for the old lady who owned Dunmovin. She and her partner loved Ilse and helped look after her in her last years. The death certificate has been applied for and the funeral was held on Wednesday. She gave me their contact details to hand onto my lawyer, her partner is the builder who did the renovation of the studio and has said he could help with reroofing the gazebo in clear Alsynite to turn it into a Victorian style conservatory once settlement has happened. They are great neighbours and so welcoming!
this is all most welcome news … to have good neighbors is everything
Last photo, OMC’s lovingly mended jacket, his hat, ..seeing both, a soul kiss and hug to you from OMC…and the long cloth, such a fine pathway of love and memory.
(((Marti))) it’s amazing how getting these thoughts and photos posted here has shifted the energy, Magic Days!
Sorry to hear the settlement has been delayed. Happy to hear you have such a beautiful environment to experience life and can use your art to work through your grief.
(((Graham))) where else can we put all the joy and wonder and sadness and longing but into the art?
Hi MC – so many lovely fragments of your journey – continue to go confidently and gently. B
(((Barry))) I am moving from a spacious two bedroom house with a huge studio here at Hat Hill Road to half the floor space at Dunmovin. In this time in between I will sort out what I really need to move, the excess will be given away to friends and the op shops!
Dear Mo, keeping busy with your art will help make time fly! Hope it all settles soon!!! Sending you a big warm hug !!
(((Blanca))) I am so in love with Dunmovin, I want to look after the place for the rest of my life!
Hi Mo,
I don’t understand-I thought you had already moved in. Here where I live, you can’t move until the sale has cleared. Sorry for your wait. Do you have somewhere to stay while you wait! Fingers crossed for a speedy resolution!
Best Wishes, Rene.
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(((René))) I paid the deposit and signed the contract for Dunmovin on December 14th, the balance of payment for the house is in the lawyer’s trust account. The contract was with the Guardianship Board working on behalf of the owner, a 96 year old lady who was in a nursing home. Before everything shut for the xmas holidays it was all moving along towards settlement happening on January 27th. However the old lady died in the second week of January, The Death Certificate was lodged on the day of her funeral last week & the Guardianship Board who had power of attorney over her monetary affairs while she was alive now have to apply to act as the executor of her will and the estate will have to go through probate. This process will take a minimum of 3 months to get through the courts but could take much longer. I can continue renting here at Hat Hill Road which is a very comfortable house until settlement so it’s all just giving me more time to sort out what I really want & need to move for this last stage of my life.
Mo I can’t believe how powerful OMC’s hat and jacket are, simply hanging there – I visualise him immediately with a crooked smile for you. Wow. And also wow to those beautiful beautiful red edge stitches. The idea of a piece that you stitch for the rest of your life is so so wonderful, and so inspiring. What comfort to have it alongside you all of the days of your life… May the waiting time be a time for sorting and sifting and moving confidently into your new and beautiful smaller forever home.
(((Fiona))) 2023 is teaching me how to slow down and go with the flow whilst keeping my eye on firmly the ball, stitching the long cloth is helping on so many levels to hold the grief and wonder.
There is always something to do. 🙂
(((Deb))) I do enjoy having a project!
how stitching is as much (or more) about touch … thinking now how your hands held Rod’s jacket as you stitched it … how it held him in turn … and now, the long edge and eyes that see in new ways …
(((Liz))) when I was staying in the city for the month with Muffin without my fabulous Serious Readers high definition light I really couldn’t see what I was stitching, the edge was just a sort of fuzzy red line & bought bigger eyed needles so it wouldn’t take me 5 minutes to thread the needle which it often did! Looking forward to getting right around the edge and then once I’m settled into Dunmovin I will loosen up to let the line take me for a walk through the cloth for the rest of my life!
Mo, Sorry for the delay, but sounds like you are adjusting. And as Deb said there is always something to do. It’s so touching seeing Old Man Crow’s well mended jacket hanging there.
(((Beth))) I am itching to get started in the garden at Dunmovin & the new neighbours were very encouraging about this idea. Will ask the real estate agent this week to ask the Guardianship Board if this would be ok. All the hedges need a hard prune and this is the time of year to do it so they have time to put on new growth (it’s mid summer here in the Land Down Under) The jacket and hat hold so much love and so many good memories… Roderick is with me in spirit on this last leg of the journey of life & hope we get to meet again in the whatever & wherever we go to!
Thanks sweetie for letting us accompany your creative process of coming into and maintaining being; nothing easy as our lives move on in a circular fashion, ever so slowly moving forward. Times to be who we really are after questioning and reflections and focussing on who we really are in this timeless swirl. So much coming to the surface through the mists of time and old man crow always close in your transition; couldn’t be another way. Your creative sewing and bush walking, the Nature of the mountains holding you on course.
Not yet time for dancing in the streets but music at home is always good.
Love Pete
(((Pete))) I am so wanting to get started on the garden at Dunmovin! No one has lived there for over 3 years now, the Guardianship Board pay a gardener to keep the lawns mown and the hedges sort of cut back but it’s a mess really! Patience has never been my strong card, I like to make things happen but will hold my horses and get permission rather than trespassing on my very soon(ish) to be forever home!
I can well imagine but as you are so close, just tell the garden that you love it and will be there soon. The law doesn’t understand passion or plants,
(((Pete))) thank you for these good words, you more than anyone I know understand the passion for plants!
Its funny how life can tangle our plans and expectations, but it sounds like your patience won’t be tested for too long (I hope). In the meantime, a red line.
(((Dana))) “the process of law makes a snail’s pace look like the fast lane” as my good friend Richard advised !
Life is full of twists and turns, ups and downs. Happy though that you can stay in your current home till you can move. Hope your eyesight improves (or gets easier to cope with). Sorting through stuff is a good idea, making the road ahead a bit lighter. Don’t suppose you need more thread do you? (haha) Love Marg ox
(((Marg))) I already did such a big clearing out of stuff when I moved up here to Blackheath last May am a bit reluctant to get rid of much at all & yes please, I can always use more of your fabulous vintage thread! The good news is I asked the real estate agent if I can get started with hard pruning the hedges and he said go for it. A friend is coming over this arvo with a trailer to take my ladder and pruning tools up there so I can get started tomorrow. Doing a few hours of gardening each day will be a good way to get to know the garden and the neighbourhood!
PS will have to be discreet and wait to post photos of progress in the garden til after settlement
Any particular colours Mo, or just the luck of the draw!!
(((Marg))) whatever you choose my most generous friend, I always enjoy your wonderful vintage threads!
That long cloth is really something! You have such patience Mo
(((Saskia))) I am learning to be patient, it’s not my strong card!