Thursday, October 8, 2020

Spike in the Hills

Marz messaged from her phone this photo of Spike in the hills by the goat farm. She is 8,000 feet high. (Elevation here in Mpls is 800 feet.)


Spike loves it there--her hair matches the plant life.
Marz is doing okay. She had a bit of a rough entry as her first day included the castration of a baby pig... 

She says she's liking the sheep better than the goats. It just so happens that a drop spindle was donated to the store yesterday. I'd stashed it at my desk, thinking it was cool ancient technology.
Does Marz want it? I asked. Or can she send me wool to try to spin?
(I know raw wool is a dirty mess, but it'd be fun to try.)

 

Meanwhile, here, the cop who killed George Floyd was released yesterday. I biked home from work to the sound of helicopters overhead. It came to me:

We are living through events that will become answers to US History quizzes of the future.

Like how Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion, the Dred Scott Decision, and the Attack on Charles Sumner on the Senate floor are possible answers to "Name three events leading up to the US Civil War".

But what question will "The police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020" answer?

"Name an event that helped precipitate the end of systemic oppression in the United States?"

Or, "What events led to the wretchedness we live in now?"


4 comments:

Linda Sue said...

no altitude sickness for Spike! Marz is correct , sheep are far more lovable than goats, Sorry about the baby pig, but who wants bacon with balls?
BLM has certainly taken us for a spin- layer for son setting up ZOOM with us next week, they are going ahead.
Drop spindles are pretty great once you get the hang of it, My friend improvised one from a Hershey kiss and a pencil and a needle.
Spike does not appear to be homesick!

Linda Sue said...

oops, lawyer,I fail to proofread!

Anonymous said...

Wow - altitude of 8000 ft is pretty high! Sounds like Spike and Marz are adjusting.

And the Ashford spindle is a great catch. Raw wool is generally more greasy than dirty as the dirt can be easily shaken out. You can spin in the raw without washing to remove the extra lanolin.

Check out Abby Franquemont --who is the best on spinning with a spindle. I first learned to spin with a spindle.

Kirsten

River said...

I have never heard of or seen a drop spindle before. Spike looks to be enjoying the views.