A year of weaving

bluecowl4One year ago I aquired my first rigid heddle loom. Just to sate my curiosity, much like 3 years earlier when I made my own drop spindle to investigate whether one could really make yarn on a stick. Nothing serious like, just testing, yeah? And although I upgraded the stick to a spinning wheel three months later, I was pretty certain this loom would last me for a long time, getting my variation from colour play mostly. After all, I do still have the same and only wheel with no wish to upgrade, it does what I want.

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Too many people, not enough trees

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The following quote is by Matthieu Ricard in his book “Happiness”. I don’t know whether the facts are actually true, but it’s certainly interesting in these times of iPads and global warming, and perhaps especially at this time of year.

Unlike GNP, the economic indicator that measures cash flow through an economy, GNH measures the happiness of the people as an indicator of development and progress. In order to improve the quality of life for its people, Bhutan has balanced cultural and environmental preservation with the development of industry and tourism. It is the only country in the world where hunting and fishing are banned throughout the land. That is a happy contrast to the two million hunters in France. (MR is a buddhist. Personally I’m not as opposed to “real” hunting as to factory farming and hobby shooting)

In addition, 60 percent of the land is required by law to remain forested.

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Being

“We can imagine a situation far back in time in which nothing in a person’s life could be singled out as one’s profession or line of work. If you had to grow or catch your own food, make your own clothes, dream up your own metaphors for the night sky, heal your own injuries, make your own love matches, concoct your own stimulants and sedatives, and in every way imaginable take care of yourself and amuse yourself, you had no profession or line of work. You were simply living; you were simply a human being.” (Eric Maisel)

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