becoming within Mint's atmosphere

While we all know that time is not linear, this knowledge is for the main part an abstract idea at odds with our daily life of doing, going, getting. Yet sometimes it is possible to understand this quality not with our thinking but with our senses; through a breeze, a scent, a refound treasure. These are moments where time, place and experience seem to become one, merging into an atmosphere that permeates and lingers indefinitely. Until on another date at another hour we find ourselves stitching through time with a wisp of familiar, bringing lived atmosphere to here and at once creating it a new enveloping layer. This small being was born within such layers atmosphere, and holds moments woven together in his becoming.

When I begin to sew, it is just that, a beginning, a trusting readiness to follow what will come, and amazingly something, someone always comes. Often they have been flitting in and around me for a little while, so I already have a sense of them, but other times I just begin and let my hands listen.

This dearest mint boy became in such a way. After forming his body the feel of him was cool and fresh with a little bit of cheekiness and a certain peaceful wisdom. My hands found the pale green washed silk and we found impressions of leaves in our imagining. With his hair of green and purply wool he became a he, and also brought the feeling of the fuzzyer kinds of leaves, and then of the tiny purple mint flowers.

And so I found myself floating on a atmospheric wisp to a moment within another summer, in our garden with my daughter. She was showing me what she had noticed about how different leaves grow in different ways from their stems, she was showing me and telling me with words full of the detail of a child's awed noticing. She became deeply fascinated by the mint's way, and that led us gently into an exploration of mint's qualities and stories and uses as part of our home education.

This was the beginnings of a game that I made her as part of our mint discovery

As I stitched this little being within that atmosphere of zing and reverence so palpable in a child's way of wanting to show you what they have found in nature, he grew mint leaves on his body and a purple mint moth pocket on his dungarees. Then he added a layer of old time mystery and chivalry as he enveloped all in his velvet mossy cloak. and with his small companion set of on a wonder full walk 

                                 Pausing to drink in the sunshine 

And meeting another wandering wonder........

.............. for a moments shared glory