I opened a box sent to me by one of our fearless leaders. It contained, among a few things, a hand made banner for me to take to the next few festivals around the south east. I could tell it was used a few times. I could also tell it was made with love and some other kind of material that would surely dissolve if water was added. This coming week and weekend I wanted to head up to the ALF. I couldn’t hang this thing up in the rain and watch as it was ruined. So I got to looking around the shop to see what I could cobble together. This is, however, a dirt bag operation and we have standards. I am sure you will tell me what they are as soon as you know, but I do know it has to be solid, match the current image but most of all, cost very little.
I found some scrap material and got to cutting and sewing. As I was putting the globe together I thought of all the fellow dirt bags out there. South America, Europe, Africa, Pacific Northwest. I sewed the land masses to the ball of water. Each stitch pulling us together. Each turn and line ending up in a different place. I thought about how we love the water and land that binds us and how they together, allow us to do what we love.
A few hours and some beers later this is what I got! Or should I say what WE got. It is not perfect, but who is. It reminds us that we are all here together. This is not mine, this is ours.
Wes’s footage from mid-river on the Tellico: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BehpSggxEkE
ALF footy from our friend Marie-Eve Bochamp