As I come out of hibernation from Winter Camp, my ability to write freely seems to have rusted shut. My brain, it turns out, is like the Tin Man, squeaking for some oil. So permit me to lubricate my cortical gears a bit with the easiest of exercises: taking you on a field trip to Chicago.
I went to primarily to nuzzle Thing One and to wander through The International Quilt Festival 2015. But I saw much more.
These are lwa (LUH-WAH) from the
Field Museum's current exhibit on Haitian Vodou (and yes, I am spelling it properly.) They are representations of specific spirits, complete with their own specific powers.
This lady lwa is my favorite, possibly because we have the same anatomical feature(s).
The Field Museum also had a majestic exhibit on The Vikings.Which, I might add, is
actually a verb, not a noun. (As in,"the various tribes of Norse people went on "vikings," which was a way to replenish their supply of slaves and other stuff.") Not surprisingly, they kept doors and boxes locked shut (probably in anticipation of other tribes viking through) and keys are a dominant feature of the archaelogic finds.
They also hung a lot of their goods on their belts...probably for the same reason.
I spent four hours at the Quilt Show, which opened with flocks of redware dancing in the air like so many kites.
The various exhibits featured both the old and the new. I was particularly enchanted (and awed) by the tiny perfections of the stitchers who came before...
But some of today's appliquers also had me at "by hand??!??" .
We went to a taping of the NPR quiz show Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, and, since Thing One is a hotshot in the Chicago restaurant business, we had no shortage of very cool meals. She recently opened a tikki bar (what one always thinks of when one thinks "Chicago in winter," yes?) and I found myself beset by a panoply of drinks that sprouted parasols, orchids, and other wildlife.
After three nights of staying up past 9 pm, I flew home in exhaustion to the waiting arms--and paws--of my family.The cups in Pennsylvania just have coffee in them. And that's fine with me.
Well I don't know but I think your cortical gears were well oiled on so many levels; especially spending good time with thing one and then you threaded along to the quilt stitchery all the while under the spell of witchery, and Voudou gris gris that turned your last photo into a phantasmagoria of dolphins jumping off the side of the glass. Made me think of one of my favorite scenes in the Kim Novak, Jimmy Stewart film, Bell, Book and Candle. Kim puts a spell on Jimmy and he goes to another witch,(Hermione Gingold,) to remove the spell. She creates a frothing green concoction that he tries to drink all under her watchful eye and shouts of, "Drinnnnnnk itttttttt!".
ReplyDeleteAhh, Hermione Gingold. Now THERE'S one of the greats. I actually ate the dolphin.
Deletewell, i
ReplyDeletehave been in Chicago now TOO!!!!! THANK YOU for all this and WHAT does the Goat
have in his mouth??????
Love best the Iwa...i want them on my side....will do whatever for ensure that....
and now, i'm wanting to go to UTube and get some Dr, John the Night Tripper..
I know, I know...bayou country...but close enough.
LOVE,
They had Voudou chants playing in the exhibit, with film of the priests/priestesses (or whatever they call their clergy) leading folks in dancing frenzies.
DeleteI thought it was a carrot but now it looks like a little bed with someone in it!
Too funny
Deletevoodoo or internet magic, last evening's comment on this post disappeared, perhaps the lwa were not amused i didn't mention them, all i said was how i really like that viking is a verb, and how much i dig their curvy keys
ReplyDelete