Saturday, February 13, 2010

my blogspot

a while back, dan upped a post in which he shared his blogspot -
the space he sits and writes in.

he asked people to share something of their own favourite space
for writing blogs in.

so dan (and fascinated onlookers), here's mine!

i work on a macbook in a wireless house
so i can work anywhere.

but there are two places i really like to write in and i'll share those here.

one is in our kitchen.
the windows there look west and allow the afternoon and evening light in.


right behind me is my favourite piece of art in our home.


it's a print by a local artist named martina field.


right next to the print is my favourite object in the house.

a box made by an artist from oakville, ontario
named norman chandler.


the other space i like to work in
is our living room.

the windows here face east
and allow the morning light in.


i love that great big soft chair.

it is stuffed with the chin hairs of over three hundred thousand
bearded salamanders.
the hairs fall off their chins naturally once every five years.
it is a labour of love to collect them and then carefully stuff them
into the chair.

the outer covering is made from the white rind
of seven thousand seven hundred and seventy seven oranges.
they are pealed by trained tamarind monkeys
and are then hand cured and stitched together with specially treated banana strings.

on especially humid days it's like settling into an over-ripe fruit salad.
only not quite as damp and sticky.

there are lovely objects here as well.
two of my favourites include this glass container filled
with one small part of my daughter's beautiful rock collection


and this blue glass goblet.
i see that right next to it are the remains of a robin's egg
and a polished ammonite.


oh and i should mention that right across from me
is where my dawsonboy likes to shred his licks
(which can get pretty intense at times)!


there's a peek at my blog space.

i hope you enjoyed your visit!

41 comments:

Penny said...

Loved it, do the salamander hairs get collected by little people?
Lots of lovely plants and light in this house.
Cant show you mine, its awful! Although when I do look in the mornings on the tiny notebook I am in bed, but at this time of night, well it is a bit of everything, junked in with a desk.

Jinksy said...

How green and peaceful - just like you!

Lorenzo — Alchemist's Pillow said...

Definitely did enjoy. Every day you take us on such charmed walks through woods and your quiet thoughts, it's a nice change to see the cozy place where you post these offerings.

May you have much, much happiness in your favorite blogspaces.

Elisabeth said...

What a wonderful space, or should I say series of spaces in your blogspot, Steven.

Your home and writing spaces seem so inviting, so nurtured, so comforting, all the attention that goes into the construction of this most amazing furniture as well. Thanks.

steven said...

hi penny, funny you should ask because the salamnder hairs are collected by little people. they all come from a particular peat grough in the north yorkshire moors. their ancestors were left their by marauding vikings a very long time ago. i love light and my home and even my classroom have lots and lots. i think the junked in desk sounds superb. the very best work i have done - creatively - in my life was in the smallest most cluttered surroundings. it felt "right". have a peaceful day. steven

steven said...

jinksy - most of the time!!! there are times - well, like yesterday - when peace is a wish rather than a state!!! have a lovely day. steven

steven said...

lorenzo thanks for that kind wish!! i could be happy almost anywhere, my needs have become fairly simple. but i am grateful for the comforts of this home - i said to one of my students recently that i could never have imagined the fortune of my life when i was his age. never. have a lovely day. steven

Moira said...

The shelf with the beautiful pieces of art is my favorite, it's an altar on which you have placed special, beautiful much loved things. Can't you feel energy is different around there? I can feel it just by looking at it...

steven said...

hi elisabeth, there's not much opportunity to unleash my sense of humour in this space and i have to say that is entirely of my choosing but thanks for mentioning the furniture!!! the idea and reality of home is very important to me so i like to bring little special things into it to add to that sense. my son and daughter are similar although their choice of little beautiful things is very different to mine of course. have a lovely and peaceful day. steven

steven said...

hi moira - see that's what's so cool about blogging because what you say here is absolutely true and i haven't heard anyone else notice and articulate that before. i'm not able to explain why, but the two places i write in (and read in) have that same quality for me. i didn't show much of the detail around my amazing chair (!) but there are objects that bring that same quality into the flow of energy there also. have a lovely day. steven

Pauline said...

Interesting to see where others live and spend their time. In its own way, your indoors is as lovely as your outdoors. Thanks for the peek.

Golden West said...

Thank you for inviting us in for a visit! I do love to see the spaces people create for themselves. Home is definitely where the heart is!

Jenny Stevning said...

...chin hairs from the bearded salamander...Hahahahahaha!
There is so much Life all around you.
Lovely!

Reya Mellicker said...

This is great! Your home is so warm and inviting. Love all those plants everywhere. You bring the beauty of the landscape right into your home.

YES I loved seeing where you write your beautiful blogs. Fantastic!

Dan Gurney said...

steven, thank you for sharing your blogspot, so filled with plants and art and attention to detail with us. I see order and beauty in your house, order and beauty that seep into your writing. Namaste.

Linda Sue said...

Your blogspot, your poetry- your point of view- most consistent bit of perfectly lovely , you!
Thanks for the comfort- I am living in chaos and discombobulation STILL! The only peace I experience is Your blog. TRUTH and Thank you!

Barry said...

I was going to say that your home looks warm and inviting, but I see Reya beat me to it. People always steal my best lines. lol

But, what the heck, I'll say it anyway. Your home looks warm and inviting and reflects the peace and serenity that often flows from your blog.

Kay said...

Ha!! you made me laugh out loud...salamander chin hair in north yorshire indeed...surely they are only found in the West Ridings of Yorkshire!!..loved it....your home seems as peaceful as your blog....have a wonderful weekend...xx Kay

hope said...

Hmmm, I was immediately drawn to that wonderful, oversized chair. Well, to a short person like me, it LOOKS really oversized.

And I love the warm colors of that room! No wonder you're able to bring us so much beauty!

Oddly enough, I have a glass "plant watering bulb" that looks almost like a twin to your goblet.

Tess Kincaid said...

My-my-my, that is a lot of chin hairs! So soothing to sit in, I'm sure. (I'm going to be giggling for the next ten mintues or so. Thanks for the smiles.) xx

Friko said...

how very lovely, steven, a space which fits your blog perfectly.
The description of your chair made me giggle, did you invent it yourself? I expect you did, it sounds like you.

It's a lovely idea to share the writing space, it gives you an even better insight into the blogger's life.

No wonder your posts are peaceful and calm.

Joanna said...

Two serene spaces. I like the jar of rocks. I have some of those in my house too. That's one very special chair you have! Thanks for sharing this Steven.

Eryl said...

You have one of those salamander chin hair chairs? I'm so envious! I hear there's a waiting list but you have to have Yorkshire blood to get on it.

Nice to have a nose around your house.

ellen abbott said...

very nice steven. I enjoyed this little voyeuristic tour. The container of rocks, the fragment of egg shells laying around. warm and familiar.

steven said...

pauline - between my kids and i, we manage to bring a fair bit of the outdoors indoors!!! steven

steven said...

golden west - it is where the heart is! thanks for visiting. steven

steven said...

jenny i'm glad you saw that and liked it!!! steven

steven said...

hi reya - yes those a re two little spots in my home that fit me really well. i read and write there. they are like small wombs. steven

steven said...

dan - order is sometimes hard to see but it is always there underneath everything. an ambience. thanks for the inspiration for the blog and also for visiting. steven

steven said...

well linda sue then i'll try and maintain the peace!!!! steven

steven said...

hi barry - steal lines, it's perfectly alright - especially when they're as kind and generous as that!!!!! thankyou for dropping by. steven

steven said...

hi kay - sorry if i offended any of my guests from north yorkshire!!! it's one of my favourite places on earth and so it comes to mind at the strangest of times!!!! have a lovely evening. steven

steven said...

hello hope - it's really lovely in the morning this time of year - when the sun gets in at around seven in the morning and it's pale yellow light sweeps across the floor and up the walls!!! i'd like to see the goblet's twin sometime!!! steven

steven said...

hello eryl! yes the chair is splendiferous and proof of yorkshire blood is a good idea. i have some through my father so i kind of snuck in on the list!!! thanks for dropping by for a look-see. steven

steven said...

hello willow- actually it can get a little ticklish if any of them poke through the orange rind. the hairs tend to stiffen and then it's like sitting on clothes brush!!! steven

steven said...

hello friko - i'm glad that the chair tickled your fancy!!!! this house is generally a very peaceful place. i feel very fortunate and don't take it for granted!!!! have a lovely evening friko. steven

steven said...

hi joanna - i'm glad you were able to visit after all the partying going on down in mexico!!!! steven

steven said...

hi ellen - i like that this place feels warm and familiar to you. there are little found objects all over the place. i love that about my home. steven

Meri said...

Lots of light and well-loved. What more could a space want than that?

steven said...

meri - not very much i think!!!! thanks for visiting. steven

Angie Muresan said...

Steven, lovely place indeed. Fascinating how the white rind of 7,777 oranges resembles leather so much.