Thursday 7 May 2009

It's ssssssssssssssssspring!



The spring mating of snakes is a well known phenomenon in parts of Canada -- in particular, the red garter snakes of Narcisse, MB.

Imagine my surprise, when out running a few errands last Friday (a warm and sunny day), when I stumbled on the same phenomenon, albeit on a much smaller scale, in central Calgary.

Granted, I'm no herpetophile, but it's pretty fascinating.

Of course, today's weather is also spring here in Calgary -- dull grey rain. The weather office radar shows snow on the western edge of the city.

Which means it's too dark to knit without putting a light on, even in mid-morning. I've been on a socks kick lately (in my alleged spare time), but with finishing off my fourth pair within two months, I think I'll take a break for awhile. Here are the two most recent sets....

Summer socks

Confetti Socks

And a new blog has crossed my way: Impractical Labor in the Service of the Speculative Arts (ILSSA).

From their blog: Impractical Labor in Service of the Speculative Arts is a new organization for those who make experimental or conceptual work with obsolete technology. ...

Impractical Labor is a protest against contemporary industrial practices and values. Instead it favors independent workshop production by antiquated means and in relatively limited quantities. Economy of scale goes out the window, as does the myth that time must equal money. Impractical Labor seeks to restore the relationship between a maker and her tools; a maker and her time; a maker and what she makes. The process is the end, not the product. Impractical Labor is idealized labor: the labor of love.

4 comments:

  1. Cool. You realize, of course, that the first pair of socks color-coordinates with the snakescape.

    Impractical Labor and Speculative Arts: sounds like a familiar clan.

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  2. The snake/sock co-ordination is purely coincidental, believe me.

    :-)

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  3. The video looks just like the last faculty meeting I attended...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Except these ones aren't poisonous vipers....

    ReplyDelete

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