(I want to share this letter with everyone. It's from Melody MacDuffee, a bead and crochet artist who is doing wonderful things to help better the lives of people in Ghana. Here is a photo I took of Melody at the CGOA conference in New Hampshire last year; she is on the left. I took a class on beaded crochet from her, and she was a wonderful instructor and all-around nice and generous person. She now has an online catalog of jewelry being made by orphans in Ghana, which you can view here. On the site you can read how Melody became involved with the Ghana Beadwork Project. I just ordered a necklace, which I will treasure and wear with love. Please read on....it sure made me feel so blessed to have what I have.)

Hello Everyone,

Well, I'm home...I mean here. In Ghana. But the first words I heard on landing were Bernard's, saying, "Welcome home, Manye," and it felt very right. I found myself loving the heat that penetrates to the marrow but somehow doesn't make me cranky. I kept breathing the air in deep gulps, trying to identify that something indescribable that makes it so different from ours. I received the cacaphony of traffic and hawkers and blaring rap music that would make me crazy anywhere else as a soothing balm to the spirit. Don't ask me why. It's just something about this place. The squalor that so horrified me the first time I arrived now holds a chaotic but profound charm for me. This is Africa, and I love it. I don't know why.

Some of it must have to do with the miracle of Bernard himself. What an amazing young man! I'm so enjoying this chance to get to know him better, to understand what motivates him to give up so much to do this service for his community. He's one of the finest people I've ever known. I hope, and trust, that we will be lifelong friends.

And the house he found...I still can't believe he managed to negotiate such a deal on a place so nice! No squalor here at all. It's spanking clean, freshly painted, secure within a walled area shared by the landlord's own home, and it even has running water...a day or two a week.  Not enough pressure to take a shower, so the bucket is back.  But I'm beginning to understand that when people here say they have a shower, it only means that they have a shower stall, which has nothing whatsoever to do with whether you can ever actually take a shower in it. But who cares. I'm used to the bucket. I've come to like it. It's a sign of home.

Home has five small but adequate and immaculately clean rooms plus a kitchen, bathroom and shower room, colorfully printed curtains for privacy, a wonderful long porch where we hold our training and work sessions for the kids, two full-sized mattresses, several plastic buckets, a few pans and dishes, an electric fan, a couple of plastic tables, ten plastic chairs, a bunch of beading tools and supplies, and not much else--all for the record-breaking price of $100.00 a month. A similar organization in the next town over has two closet-sized rooms with no bathroom, no sink, no comforts at all, and they pay $75.00. But this is Bernard. He spares no effort to get things done, and he works miracles. Despite his youth (he's 26), and despite the myriad objections the landlord initially had about renting to anyone so young and "unsettled," he managed to secure this lovely place for us, in which we can now train our producers, hold work sessions and meetings, do our office work, store our supplies, pack our products for shipping, and even live.

So, as you may have gathered, I'm very, very happy. The training sessions with the orphans are going extremely well. The bead makers made the unprecedented gesture of all being a full hour early for our first meeting, and all being seated in a circle, waiting for me and shouting out, "Welcome, you are welcome" when I arrived. I shook all of their hands and said their names as I did so, a fact that apparently amazed them even more than it did me--I didn't forget a one! (Those of you who know me well know what an achievement that is.) Then, once I was seated, they all insisted on getting up and filing by to shake my hand again. I was very touched. This, of course, was followed by two hours of heated arguments about the parameters of the organization and the decisions we had made since my last trip. The issue was our hiring of the orphans when most of the bead makers want to do--and get the money for--producing the items themselves. Which we all know would end up never getting done in time because they're too busy making beads. Finally, on a sudden inspiration, I settled the issue instantaneously by asking why on earth we would bother to buy beads from them now only to have to give the beads back to them later so that they can produce the jewelry. No more debate. Money now is always better than the possibility of money later. It was manipulative on my part, but it worked.

I'd better go. I'm writing this from an internet cafe, so chances are good that this computer will crash soon. Our own internet hookup is lost in Africa time. It was supposed to be ready by the time I got here, but...well, this is Africa. Nothing ever, ever happens on schedule here. But we have hopes for this coming week. In the meantime, as always, my heartfelt thanks to everyone who got me here and made this project possible. It's been an experience of miracles for me. I'll keep you posted.

Melody

The Art of Quilting premiered on PBS in March of 2007, but I didn't get to see it because Southern California PBS stations are notoriously lame when it comes to showing anything related to fiber arts. I didn't want to buy it, because I figured I would only want to watch it once. I checked Netflix last year, and they didn't have it. I checked Netflix again last week, and voila....they now have it available for rent. I watched it last night, and I enjoyed it.

I need a jumpstart. Once again I feel like I've hit a bump in the road when it comes to art quilting. I've been seduced over to yummy yarn-land, and I need to find my way back into luscious fabric-land. I figured this DVD might help me out of my slump. I was right. Inspiration galore....and enough little fabric scrap crumbs to lead me back to fabric-land.

I love Jane Burch Cochran's quilts, and she was featured early on in this hour-long show, which also featured The Chicago School of Fusing, Quilt National, and Art Quilts of Philadelphia. They spent a lot of time on the latter show, including more works featured in the bonus segment, but I was disappointed that they did not mention my fellow Fibervision member Angela Moll. One of her quilts was hanging on the wall behind another artist as she spoke about her work. Even when photos of art quilts in the Philadelphia show were shown without commentary but labeled with the name of the work and the artist name, they didn't show Angela's quilt. I think they should have at least shown every quilt in the show to be fair and equal.

Lots of gorgeous eye candy, and I always enjoy hearing other artists talk about what inspired them, or about the techniques they use. If you are an art quilter or if you admire art quilts, I would recommend renting this DVD. Or maybe you have better PBS access than I do, and your local station will run it again. Sheesh.

After thinking about this for awhile now, I decided to start a whole new blog devoted just to my rock & roll life. I think it's best to keep this one just for my fiberarts life. So, if you are so inclined, you might want to check out my new blog on Blogger, titled "Rock & Roll Stew: Tales from a Raging Aging Rocker Chick". I've got lots to share, and lots of concerts coming up this summer and fall. I guess I miss being a rock writer and having a place to share that writing.

Today I mailed off my freeform capelet "Purple Daze" to the 2008 CGOA (Crochet Guild of America) Design Contest in the Women's Fashion Garments category. Cash prizes: In each category, $300 for 1st, $200 for 2nd, and $100 for 3rd place. Plus, $1,000 for Grand Prize, which is best item from all categories. Entries will be displayed at the CGOA conference in Manchester, New Hampshire in July. (I attended last year, but this year it conflicts with the big inaugural Quilt Festival in Long Beach, so I won't be going.) I was nervous mailing off my "baby", but nothing ventured, nothing gained! We'll see what happens!

The 2008 International Freeform Fiberart Guild Challenge, "Through Our Eyes", is now online! You can view all 35 entries here. Mine is the second from the left in the top row. There is even a book of the exhibit available here. 100% of the book profits will go to Women for Women International, an extremely worthy cause. Now that the exhibit has been made public, I may now share my photos of my contribution for this year's challenge, which I titled "Purple Daze". Enjoy!

That's Zeus on my lap, and Muffin next to us. They sure like to be near us, and if yarn is involved so much the better.

In the other photo, Muffin is on top of my Cultural Fushion Wrap. I was almost done with it when Joe and I decided to go out to dinner. As soon as I had turned my back, she had decided that it made a wonderfully cozy blanket.

It's a hot weekend here, and the only thing creative going on is major Spring Cleaning. I'm in the mood for organization, so it's a good thing. Time to organize materials and prioritize projects.

Oh, I do have some creative news this week. A photo I took of one of my art quilts, the Day of the Dead-themed "Death Don't Have No Mercy", was chosen for inclusion in the second edition of the Schmap California Guide. Here is the link. They found it on Flickr and it's part of a group of different photos illustrating Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

I'll also have a blog post soon about a new website and book-on-demand debuting about the International Freeform Crochet Guild's 2008 Challenge. I have a new freeform garment in it which I'm very pleased with.

My two grown children called me on Mother's Day, but I wasn't home. I was at a rock concert in L.A. I love it! (And I don't have my cell phone on at concerts, because I can't hear it ring.)

My husband Joe surprised me with two dozen beautiful lavender roses for Mother's Day. My daughter sent me a gorgeous delicate white gold bracelet with tanzanite and diamonds, along with cards from her and the grandkids. I spoke to my mother by phone on Saturday, and she loved the card I sent her.

The weather is heating up, and spring and summer concert season is here. Joe and I saw Dark Star Orchestra in Solana Beach on Thursday night, April 24th, at the Belly Up Tavern. We got there early and walked down to the beach at Fletcher's Cove. We were shocked to read online later that weekend that a man was killed by a great white shark in the water off the Cove just hours after we had been there. There were about a dozen surfers in the water while we were there at sunset.

That Friday and Saturday night (April 25 & 26) we saw Dark Star Orchestra at the El Rey Theater in Hollywood. The shows themselves were incredible, and we met lots of really interesting Deadheads while in line and while inside the theater waiting for the show to begin. I find it fascinating that we always meet other Deadheads who were at so many of the same Grateful Dead shows we went to "back in the day". So when you meet up with fellow "intrepid travelers", it's like a family reunion, even though you may not have actually met before. Deadheads are an interesting and varied bunch, to be sure.

On Mother's Day (Sunday, May 11) we saw Phil Lesh and Friends at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. It's an outdoor theater in Griffith Park. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals opened for Phil with a 45-minute set, and it's a shame not too many people were in the audience yet, because they missed a good show. We saw the band open for Gov't Mule at the Fillmore in San Francisco some months ago, and we were impressed. For such a young woman, Grace is amazingly talented and capable as a singer, songwriter, and musician. Again, before the show and during breaks, we met interesting Deadheads seated next to us and in front of us. Again, we shared many of the same shows. The audience was really receptive, responsive, and enthused, which reminded me more of a Bay Area crowd than an L.A. crowd. Lots of folks with a "touch of gray" or more in evidence, but everyone was rockin' and singin' along, and having a real good time.

Upcoming, we have tickets for Gov't Mule and Ratdog at the Greek in L.A in June; the Outside Lands Festival at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco over three days in August, and Umphrey's McGee, Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule, and Ratdog at Red Rocks in Morrsion, Colorado over Labor Day weekend. We are also going to be ordering tickets soon for The Black Crowes at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas, the Greek in L.A., the Santa Barbara Bowl, and the Fillmore in San Francisco later this year. The Outside Lands Festival has the most incredible lineup of any festival I've ever seen. As soon as I saw it, I knew that We Must Go!

This grandma is not ready for a rocking chair yet. This grandma is too busy rockin' out!

 This pattern is from the booklet Crochet in Style, but the pattern is called "Pink Filigree" in the booklet, and it's made from some dreadful pink acrylic worsted weight yarn. I wanted to try out the pattern, so I grabbed some cotton boucle on a cone and my glittery K hook and got going. I started this in a long meeting on Tuesday, worked on it some more that night, and I finished it on Wednesday evening. I changed the last round just because I can. I would definitely like to make this again in various yarns, and I would like to experiment with adding beads to it. I will give this to a friend if she likes what she sees.

Update: She didn't want it, so I guess I'll keep it.

WOW! I received the April email newsletter today from the International Fiber Collaborative. Click on the link and go to the site for more information. Be sure to check out the documentation of the installation. I don't know where my panel is, but I'm thrilled and excited to be a part of this art installation! Here are two photos by photographers Cathryn Lahm and Steve Sartori:

 This evening I finished the KAL Culture Fushion Wrap (pattern by Jane Thornley) just in time for voting on Jane's Ravelry group. Refer back to my post on March 11, 2008, for the beginning details. My yarns were selected based on a photo of Red Rocks, Colorado, at night. I like how it turned out, and I can see making at least one more from my voluminous stash of yarns. I have concerts coming up that I can wear it to!

 Yesterday I had a very surreal jury duty experience. I've received a jury summons many times, but either my group number wasn't called, or else I sat all day long in the jury waiting room and never got called. This time I was interviewed as a potential juror, and I also brought my knitting.

Now the jury summons says no "handwork needles" and no scissors. But I have project deadlines and I didn't want to sit all day without something to work on. I decided to take a knitting project with size 13 bamboo circular needles. They look like big pencils, and they let pencils into court, I reasoned. I packed a dental floss container to use the cutter on it instead of scissors. As I arrived at 8:00 a.m. and placed my bag on the x-ray machine conveyor belt, I felt nervous, like a contraband smuggler. I walked through the metal detector. I cleared! Breathing a sigh of relief, I made my way to the jury room, checked in with my summons, and took a seat.

While a court employee explained at length all of the information we needed to know, I ate the breakfast I brought (sprouted wheat and raisin bagel and a travel mug of coffee). As she was finishing up her talk around 9:00 a.m., the court employee said that courtroom number 48 was calling for a jury pool. I listened carefully as the last names were called in alphabetical order. My name was called. I followed others to the elevator in the lobby to go upstairs.

We had to wait outside the courtroom for awhile. Then we were told by a bailiff to come in and be seated. The defendent was there, a young Spanish-speaking woman with an interpreter. Also present was the judge and the prosecuting and defense attorneys. As a group (I would say at least 50 of us), we had to take an oath to tell the truth regarding the questions we'd be asked as potential jurors. The first group was called to sit in the jury seats. One by one, they had to give the same basic information about themselves, their occupations, their spouses, and their families. They were questioned by the judge and the attorneys. A few were let go. Then names were called to replace those excused. Yes, I was called to sit in the jury area and go through the process myself.

As soon as we had come into the courtroom and sat down, we were told it was a DUI case. Although the young woman didn't quite reach the legal limit on the Breathalizer, the arresting officer had done some field sobriety tests and had found her to be impaired. She had also been driving 80 mph on the freeway at 2:00 a.m.

When I was called on, I gave my required information, and then the judge asked me if I could be fair and impartial. "No, your honor, I don't think I can be," I said honestly. The gist of what I told him and the attorneys who also questioned me was this: I don't drink, I have alcoholics in the family, and I don't think people should drink and drive, period. I said I didn't think there was a safe amount; I believe that if you have alcohol in your system, you should not potentially endanger others by driving. I gave some examples from personal experience. All this in front of all the other jurors. Talk about being put on the spot! But I had to be honest. Once they told us what the case was about, I'll admit I immediately thought "she's guilty". I am prejudiced against people who drink and drive. I hate to think of a loved one being innocently killed or maimed for life by a drunk driver. My husband drives to work during the time after the bars close, and I worry about him being on the road with impaired drivers.

Needless to say, I was let go from that particular trial. By now it was lunch time, and we were 15 minutes into the lunch hour at 11:45 a.m. We had been told to come back at 1:00 p.m. and go back and sit in the main jury room downstairs on the main floor. I went home for lunch, and decided not to take my knitting back with me. We'd also been told that we would probably be released between 3:00 and 4:00, so I thought I'd just read my book when I went back.

I was sitting reading my book when I noticed a young woman in the front row of seats crocheting! With an aluminum crochet hook! Wondering how she got through security, I knew I had to go talk to her. She was a grade-school teacher, and very friendly. She said when she first approached security at entry, she showed them what she had. The male guard even recognized that she had a crochet hook, and said it was "okay". But she had brought nail clippers to clip her yarn with, and they made her take them back to her car! She looked at me and said, "I could do a lot more damage with this hook over nail clippers!" I agreed. I also pointed out that we all had keys, which could be used as weapons, and well as ballpoint pens. She was a beginning crocheter, making a baby blanket. I told her about using the dental floss cutter, and she said she would bring one next time.

At 3:15 p.m. we were dismissed, picking up the proof of our civic duty in photocopy form as we exited. I had succeeded in bringing my knitting, but I didn't have a chance to work on it in the morning, and I was too chicken to go through security with it a second time when I returned after lunch. But they let a crochet hook in, go figure!