Dear reader,
Are you exceptionally tired, here, at the end of this week? I know I am. I almost feel a little muddy, a little moth-eaten. But honestly, now that I sit to write this, now that I admit this, now that I have taken a few bites of an apple: I am realizing that I actually don’t mind feeling muddy or moth-eaten at the end of this week. Maybe, I think, I kind of like it.
I’ve decided: I do like it, actually. It is nice to be tired on one of the very last days of September at almost 5pm, est.
Maybe, I think, I want to rest to dream my way into October.
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When I am tired I want something warm & fragrant (a reishi, cardamon decoction, perhaps, or a stew heavily flavored with black pepper & tarragon); I want something to sink into (a wonderful bed, a bathtub full of epsom salt); I want someone to tell me a story (a film, a Brontë). And a room lit only by candle, one of the cats curled up at my feet, a piece of good hazelnut studded chocolate, John Field’s Nocturnes filling the room…Oh, & most usually I want to be alone.
When you are tired, what is it that you want?
I have found this is helpful information to share & also to know.
Tell me one of the things you want when you are tired, I’m curious about this specific kind of necessary decadence.
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Speaking of someone telling me, you, us a story: I just published the most recent interview in the Rhythm/Devotion series ~
Connie & I met not long after I first moved to Raleigh & he made a place that I was having a hard time adjusting to feel more bearable. More than bearable. He made me a friend & comrade & collaborator in a place that can feel rather lonesome at times. I’ve always felt that if Connie were a plant, he would be a sunflower, & like all sunflowers he truly does remediate the soil wherever he is planted. When soil is remediated, it is essentially reclaimed: cleared of toxins, it becomes a vibrant & thriving space for the entire ecosystem.
Connie is not a sunflower, not exactly.
But he is an artist: a painter, a professor, dessinateur… He is hilarious, brilliant, kind, & surprising. Moreover, Connie is one of the only people I know who specifically requests to talk on the phone, which fills me with absolute glee. Last week, we spoke late at night about how much we loved both versions of Suspiria for different reasons.
It is my true pleasure to introduce you to him on one of the last days of September. Here is one of my (many) favorite moments from the interview:
I’m always talking about engaging your whole body when drawing and painting: we tend to just get stuck in our wrist and fingers because it gives us this sense of control, and it also feels very close to writing. But when we engage our shoulder, elbow, torso, knees our mark making becomes more dynamic, giving us a wider range of expression. It’s a sensory vernacular, and the more ways we can move the more vocabulary we give ourselves and the more complex our expression can become.
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I felt truly inspired reading about Connie’s process & absolutely loved how his sense of humor came through in many of his responses. Find the rest of his interview by following this link or clicking on the photo of him with one of his incredible paintings below:
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Alright dear reader.
Before I officially end this missive I wanted to remind you that tomorrow is the final day of the apothecary sale. Everything is 25% off when you use this code upon checkout autumnbreeze
I should also mention that I will be temporarily closing the apothecary & ceasing consultations in mid-October until late January while I pack everything all up in preparation for my big move northeast.
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Until next time, may you eat a good apple, may you listen to your favorite song, may you get what you want when you are tired. Take care ~
Affectionately,
Chanelle
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This is so beautiful.
Oh man, I love what you reach for when you're tired. That all sounds delectable. When I get really tired, I can't stop picturing my bed. It takes over all my thoughts until I am finally able to crawl into it.