This much rain overnight. Looks like 4 or 5 days more rain to come. Water found it's way up through the rocks at the bottom of the hill by the road and is flowing right across the street. The town road crews are out the scratching their heads. Back to burning wood here. May.
It's a sunless day. My Nest of Days has become a light catcher. Mind's Eye Stitching style Thread Beads.
It has become apparent that my online teaching days are over. I didn't decide. It is just drifting off. And I am adjusting to a new slowness. Don't expect any consistency here except going along. The weaving of days.
I am glad I said it. I have been feeling it for a long time. This morning while listening to the river, I let go.
( there was once a cloth called Listen to the River)
As usual, I am behind in reading your posts – sometimes I save them up just to savor them so. You will always be teaching, it is just your way. I fought being a teacher for so long and then one day I realized that I just think that way. But teaching in the system was so exhausting and defeating so I know that feeling of relief in letting it go. Now I teach to my littles and love that. My granddaughter discovered my pins and pincushion the other day – such joy she had ( 2 1/2 yrs) just taking pins out and putting them back in. Her favorite question is, “what’s this?” Joy and wonder at everything -that is what I wish for you and me and everyone.
And listen to the river… I miss the river that I could hear from my house in Colorado. I am still stitching on my indigo river for my big cloth quilt – going to be a lot of stitches in that one! Enjoy the sound of the river – maybe I will hear it too. I don’t remember that quilt Listen to the River – I will try to look it up. Maybe before my time with you.
Thank you for just continuing to be here and share – I learn from you whether you mean for me too or not! ❤️
I am not sure what it is I am lettig go of. Maybe just the obligation, or the money thing or the idea that I have some special knowledge, ha!
switching to glide
glide is sweet
I can sense your peace of mind in your post and response to comments. Truly it is the peace of letting go and allowing yourself to just be. As many have already said, I have learned so much from you through following your blog and watching your videos. I reference you so much in my conversations about stitching that my friends just roll their eyes…they know the name “Jude Hill” well. Thank you for it all. I look forward to “seeing” you when you drift by and post.
building wings…sails, anything lighter
Teaching and teacher are two different things. One you can stop, the other, not so much, if it’s a part of who you are. You are a teacher now and until beyond, and probably then, too. oxo
I’m thinking about it a lot, what teaching is. What a teacher is. I’m unsure at this point, what separates teacher from not teacher.
Grateful for you💙
Relax and enjoy
actually, it is all about that. relaxing.
Letting go. Happy for you.
Thinking about it is the hardest part.
I have just let go of a storage unit full of things that are no longer relevant. I feel much lighter.
I think I am letting go of a way of thinking.
yes, important that, so much more freedom in it
Letting go ….spaces….weaving days…watching with interest as these things happen…magic.
Here too, rain…foothills of the mountains heavily snow capped..never seen before in May.
Thank you for all you share. ..
😊
never seen before, it is important that we know about that. That can be quite big and then quite tiny and personal as well.
You have given so much, freely, with unbelievable generosity, care and without judgement. We are incredibly fortunate, and whilst I have nowhere near your skills, imagination or belief in myself, I have learnt to simply enjoy the process of making. Your stunning work is an inspiration when none comes. Enjoy the nature you live amongst and visit the sea!!
Thank you.
hey you, such sweet praise, and good advice, visit the sea.
I don’t have the gift of choosing words as you, but thank you. They seem to resonate with many. Lately you use the words float, age, drifting, making and weaving. It’s as if we are settling into new…
acknowledging the new.
Thank you, Jude.
And thank you back…
Just your presences teaches and inspires. No need to have a teaching mode or plan. Enjoy . . . or better yet, drift. Float. Meander. Glide. Waft. When we see what you’re doing we’re learning.
So many soft ways, your words…
Just another way of reinventing yourself…haven’t we all done that at several junctures in our lives? You were ready….good for you…..as long as you keep going “somewhere” even a nap falls into that category…who cares, as long as you are steering the boat…..❣️
Hey ho!
So many comments express my thoughts. I feel relief for your decision regarding teaching, it must feel good to put it in print and to say it to yourself. As someone else said, you teach in so many ways. For me, just seeing your work and reading your thoughts, I learn, I’m inspired and your words always speak volumes to me. Thanks so much Jude for being here in whatever way fulfills you now.
Feeling free from my own demands.
I have this lovely picture of a bunch of us floating down a river in river tubes stitching away as we float along – and laughing and chatting and just going along.
that’s Beauty FULL !
No trouble imagining this.
Listening to the river &
the eternal inner spring.
Then letting go, carried to a new place.
Enjoy your voyage.
Singing.
Row row row your boat…
The ebb and flow of life. Teaching may end but learning never does. Embrace the changes and enjoy.
Ready.
Grateful. So very grateful to you.
Grateful back…
Immense GRATITUDE from me to you.
💕💕💕💕💕💕
Not in the way of “Oh please still teach”…not THAT at all. And not in anyway reflective of the years and years of giving and teaching and courses you’ve shared…because all of these years have been amazing. But I am thinking that aren’t we all a little bit teachers in some way? Aren’t You teaching just by saying what you say, because it may hold meaning or a lesson for another (without you’re even planning or maybe knowing that). All of these words to say, yes, drift…float…be. I agree with Grace’s words. Just going. And so grateful to go with you all.
“Don’t just do something, sit there” ~ Sylvia Boorstein
Yes. Just looking at it all with different eyes I think.
Going along, drifting, feeling it. All so good.
When i am at the point of scratching my head i will ask.
Thank you for all that you shared and are still sharing..
Peace
that was great, how about I explain if you ask. ha!
Thats exactly what i meant 🙂❤️
Jude you teach in everything you do. You’re a natural at it. But being of kindred spirit I get how teaching can become structured and thus become more of a hindrance to the flow. I do enjoy your sharing but I need to do more of my own.
Thank you for what you have taught me. You have helped me to regain something I thought was lost.
If you’re ever in my side of the world I would love to have a chat over tea or coffee.
That would be just swell.
This was my ‘daily dharma’ today, so appropriate…
Through repeated practice, we see that all phenomena have a beginning, a middle, and an end, and then letting go occurs as a natural response of a mind that understands the way things really are.
Ayya Santacitta, “Slow Down, Take Your Seat”
Ha, perfect…
I’m riding waves of love for you.
Gosh I miss the sea…
the river of your online teaching continues to flow… i learn from u daily, jude, with deep gratitude. nice to just float along, catching thoughts together…
It is enough…
there is something about cloth or teaching or the entity
that is Both, taking your hand. and you “both” begin going now
together, holding hands, somehow no seperation, between cloth,teaching,you,theGoing
What if….?…I…we…are the river.
Yes, Grace…this. No separation.
Yes, thank you for all that you have shared. I will be forever grateful for the invisible baste. It has helped me so many times and I still need to try thread beads. All the best!
Try the beads, they feel great.
Just being is enough. Deciding feels good.
I think I dreamed it and it stayed with me.
Drifting sounds good to me……slow is fast. I don’t have a brook or stream, but I love drifting with the clouds and the gentle winds. It visually informs “letting go” and being open to new possibilities.
nature is such a good teacher.
I would offer that you are still teaching…just something different. 🙂
there are many ways to offer self.
A new phase of Life. Full of Wisdom and Experience. Also, a discovery of one’s New Self.
Just going means being able to move on… Funny how sometimes standing still seems like going.
I loved teaching back in the day … needlework and school library lessons and even a grad school course on “how to teach writing to elementary and middle school students” … but those days are past and I am content to stitch and write on the blog for myself and whoever cares to come by … I wish for you the same ease and contentment …
and it bears repeating that I have learned enough from your past classes to fill a lifetime of stitch, so thank you yet again for all that you have taught
Thank you Liz.
There is so much in my old classes, it can just be brought up for reference if I need it. The video think is too time consuming. And online teaching, good grief, there is so much now. It’s a social media frenzy… I could hardly call it “slow stitching” . I’m content to drift.
This piece is so poetic. The stitching on the blue « rains down » onto the anthracite 9-patch, which in turn « flows » out it,s stitches, creating nature in browns. Brilliant !
drifting makes softer connections
made me laugh, why is it that men stand around scratching their heads so much?
I’m glad you are at ease with letting go (teaching online)
there are things I’ve been forced to give up due to structural changes in my body- haven’t been at peace with this ever
went to Flickr, stunning quilt
I think of Dad, riding the waves…
As long as old men sit and talk about the weather,
and as long as old women sit and talk about old men.
one of my favourite songs.
I remember Listen to the River from when I first ‘found’ you, and the excitement I felt at seeing all your beautiful work, and reading all your heartfelt words.
I love that the sound of the river allowed you to let go…fluid, flowing, going….
it has been singing to me since I came here, I just started listening…