Register by March 9 for Moccasins
Moccasin Workshop - Register by March 9
Friends, if you are thinking of joining the 2-day moccasin-making workshop, please register this week (by Saturday, March 9).
Upcoming Events:
Bliss Boogie in Pittsboro: April 5-7. Register here.
4-Day Hide Tanning Workshop, here at Benzai: April 25-28. Register here.
Shibori & Indigo Dye Workshop, here at Benzai: June 15. Save the Date.
Soil & Sky Fest, here at Benzai: Sept 21. Early bird tix available now.
As you consider which events and workshops light you up, I’ll put in a friendly nudge to go ahead and register and get it secured onto your calendar as soon as you’re able. These are all events that are lovingly curated by very small teams of people pouring their hearts (and savings) into the planning, and it helps us greatly, greatly, greatly when people register with plenty of lead time. <3
Other News: Voting - How are you managing to do all the research each time? I find it HARD.
It’s March 5, which means I headed to the polls today. I do worry quite a bit about the political trajectory of our nation, and of the entire world. I feel a slurry of crushing emotions about it. And yet, I do still vote. Every time. Especially because farther down the ballot are candidates who are local people. They live right here, their children attend school here, they would like to be able to swim in the same rivers, and on and on. These are folks we have the opportunity to speak with face-to-face if we so choose. They are making choices about what developments get approved in our neighborhoods, what environmental standards we set for our creeks, whether or not we want a police presence in our public and private schools, and more.
Each time I go to vote, I wonder how everyone else does it. Honestly. It is such hard work to try to get the facts about all of the candidates. I wonder how people are managing to do their research while also trying to keep up with their farms and families and work and all else. Sincere question: how are you doing it? Do you simply vote for presidential candidates and leave the rest blank? Do you do hours of research? Do you have a trusted source you turn to for voting advice? Should we form research teams to spread out the labor before each election? I’m genuinely curious. Maybe you’ll feel willing to share your experience in the comments or by replying to this email.
Other-Other News: Bloomstead Bloomings
The trout lilies are up en force on the land right now carpeting the wooded slopes. Yesterday I spotted an ALBINO TROUT LILY! I’ve never seen that before. I didn’t have my phone with me at the time, so I’ll go visit it again this afternoon and take a picture. I’ll plan to post it to my IG so ya’ll can see. The bloodroot by the back campsite are juuuust starting to bud out. By next week, there will be a sea of them as well. Bountifully blooming right now are: hepatica, trout lily, purple dead nettle, henbit, daffodil, spring violet, chickweed and speedwell. And the red maples and elms are like cloud bursts of buds.
Final Other News: March 21 Workday
I’m toying with the idea of hosting a workday on the land on March 21, in honor of Soil & Sky’s 1/2 birthday. That is a Thursday. Would anyone be interested in that? I’ve got a handful of projects, including: mowing, making trails, restoring the bell tent, creating parking barriers, making bamboo privacy screens for the green room and picking up roadside litter. These are the kinds of projects that I love most — how I spend my time when given the opportunity. Please let me know if you’d be interested in joining me on March 21. If there are enough people interested, then I’ll put the word out and plan to light a bonfire that evening, weather permitting.
With Love,
Morgan
