If you've ever used Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap, you'll remember it. An old boyfriend of mine found it to be so memorable that he wrote a short story about the effect it had on his... well, if you've used it you know. Back in the day, this was a product you could only find in a giant bottle at a co-op. The first time I saw it for sale somewhere mainstream I was overwhelmed with surprise and delight. This was a fringe semi-secret for a LONG TIME! Passed along friend to friend (or stranger) via samples and word of mouth. My mom was a force in this slow soap revolution. Giving out film canisters full of it for decades, with the...
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I walked almost (very close almost) 9 miles yesterday. There’s always a lot to soak in here. The architecture is top level. I’ve never personally seen a place that’s more arousing to my personal architectural aesthetic. My hometown, while small and shabby, has a great deal of Victorian homes and some of my earliest memories are of marveling at them. Of all times in history I think I would like to go back to when these homes were being built. I want to bask in the vibe of people who revered craftsmanship and good building materials and hope for the future. And while yes, their bathing practices left a lot to be desired, they really understood the importance of regularity...
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So I wanted to make something for myself while I was back in Rhode Island for Christmas. I brought a grip of embroidery floss and a sweatshirt (a rare mostly cotton crewneck from Ocean State Job Lot years ago -- I collect crewneck sweatshirts and OMG it is hard to find ones that aren't 50/50 polyester blends). I wasn't sure what to put on it, and was generally feeling vexed and uninspired (also I didn't bring a notebook to pull something out of... <rolling eyes emoji>). I ended up borrowing from the great Alicia Bay Laurel and embroidered a version of the cover of her book Earth Mass. Now before anyone gets their underwear wadded up in their sternum from a...
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