Head of the Class

Now that I can sit comfortably and use my arm again, I'm back on the workshop circuit. This month and next I'm taking a series of Backyard Skills classes through the local Ecology Center. First up: a pine needle basket weaving class. Although I have to raise an eyebrow at the class description's proclamation that weaving with natural materials "awakens us to the intricate and inextricable web of life we are all woven into" and "opens our hearts to feel gratitude for the gifts of the earth" (uh...okay...), I do think it's cool that we'll be making something useful with locally harvested pine needles. Next up is a beeswax candle making class whose description simply mentions that beeswax candles burn clean and much longer than candles derived from petroleum. Nothing about the "intricate and inextricable web of life" here, thankfully.

"Hey, do you want to take a couple classes with me?" I asked the Wrangler.

"What kind of classes?" He sounded cautious. The poor man never knows what I might have up my sleeve, and he has learned the hard way. The yoga for dogs class comes to mind.

"A pine needle basket weaving class and a beeswax candle making class." I braced myself for a "no-thanks-go-with-a-girlfriend" type of response. I was pleasantly surprised when he promptly agreed.

"Sure. Sounds like the kind of classes I took in college."

Ah. I sometimes forget that my artist husband is open to a fairly wide range of creative experiences. Since he's game for so many things, we've done a fair amount of crafty-type activities together, like the watercolor tide pool class and the marine mammal sculpture class.

This here is one lucky cowgirl.