Respite

Respite. Not a word you would normally expect as an article title on a historical interpretation blog. Not a word I would have expected to be using.

That is what today was for me: Respite

This week was difficult… shocking…heartbreaking. It started Monday morning at 6am and kept shocking me through Wednesday when I realized my legs were shaking in class from mental exhaustion. As Friday came, I questioned if I should be trying to do today or if staying in bed was best.

I am so glad I stuck to my commitment.

Today was truly a day of respite. I was able to relax my mind and body. I think I was even able to rejuvenate a little.

I had excellent, meaningful conversations with visitors.

I was able to share the story of women and straw with them. I feel as though I was truly able to communicate fully the important connection I see between straw millinery and everyday women’s history. This meant a lot.

Here is an iceberg tip:

My talking pieces included wheat straw, straw stalks ready for splitting, straw splitters (original and modern), split straw, my mediocre attempt at planting, hanks of plaited straw, samples showing the range of straw, safe to bring blocks and a stretcher, some sample hats, leaf dies and cut petals.

My focus was meant to be on tools of the trade for the day because of the museum’s antique show taking place. With the weather being rainy, I realized the pinkers would not work at all and that negated the storyline of some of the other machines/tools I had in mind. So, I focused on the tools of the cottage industry end of millinery. I am very glad I did because this let me truly focus on that part of the story as it builds into the whole story. The other way around, the women sewing and plaiting at home seems to be lost. As I talked today, the power of a tiny straw splitter really grew for me. The idea that a tiny tool, small enough to disappear in a hand or be lost in the dirt, was the starting point for turning a tubular grass into a durable, lasting pieces of clothing, was wow.

As I talked today, I finished the closest hat, which I will wire tomorrow.