Humans are no different than guanacos or sheep or any other animal that finds comfort in the presence of others. We rely on each other for help and support, warmth and protection. But as humans, sometimes it’s difficult to ask for help and support.

In this episode, we dive into the question: “Why is it so hard to connect with others and create a sense of community?” I share the beginnings of what may become a vibrant fiber producers guild, and introduce you to my partner in this endeavor, Katie Whitlock. Our new friend, Brittany Bobbit, gets recruited to our Mud Support Group. And Greg and I talk about our very slow progress on a goal we set in 2020. So, if you wish for more connection and a sense of community, like we do, join us. Maybe something we say will inspire you to take some steps yourself. 

The Full Transcript can be found at www.afiberlife.com

This podcast is a production of the Bright Sighted Network. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes the best things in life are about the process, not the product. Working with your hands vs. working with your mind. In this episode, I sit down with several spinners to understand their motivation and love for the art. In this episode, I’m telling you about how I ditched a product-led, checklist kind of life, and learned to engage more with the everyday process of living. I talk with others living that life. Josefine Waltin is a Swedish fiber artist who teaches students to spin by teaching them her philosophy of connection with raw fiber. And Kim Biegler of Ewethful Fiber Farm and Mill tells us about the realization when she rescued a 400 lb bale of Suffolk wool from being burned by the shepherd who needed room in his barn. Greg and I share about the transformation that’s happened to our hands, and how going from using our brains, to using our hands has improved us for the better.

The Full Transcript can be found at www.afiberlife.com

This podcast is a production of the Bright Sighted Network. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve lost 6 animals in the last 3 years on our farm: five guanacos and one goat. Now, as a therapist, I’ve sat with so many dear clients in the grips of death and tragedy and the pain that floods in when we lose loved ones. And I’ve faced my fair share of grief personally. But when my goat Milo died, I was hit like a brick.  

You’d think that my familiarity with grief and loss would help me when Milo and our 5 guanacos died. But it didn’t. And after talking it through with Greg and some other special people, I’ve come to understand that this new loss experience was different than the others I’ve experienced in the past. It was different because it didn’t come with a ready-made ritual or a way to communicate what happened. There was no Shiva or Wake, or even a plan for what to do after we said ‘goodbye.’ There was no narrative or story to provide comfort. And I needed that. I needed a story and a ritual that soothed me. Because without that, I was just left with unresolved sadness and a nagging feeling of not knowing what to do if it happened again. Honestly, I was just ready to quit the whole thing because it was all too much.

So, I went on a mission to find the answer. To make a story. To create a ritual that provides comfort and solace. And I actually found one. 

The Full Transcript can be found at www.afiberlife.com

This podcast is a production of the Bright Sighted Network. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.