Today was Mia's class trip to Hudson Beach Glass. An awesome local business two blocks away on Main St. It's an amazing hand blown glass studio and gallery in a renovated fire house, and it's absolutely beautiful.
While waiting in the school's lobby I saw the school's new "greeter". Miz Wells. A 6 foot tall black lady with long grey dreadlocks pulled back in a bun and rhinestone cat-eye reading glasses on a chain around her neck. I'm thinking maybe she worked the door at a Brooklyn speakeasy back in the day. She sits at a small desk with her back to the hallway that runs from one end of the school to the other. She knows where every kid is supposed to be and busts them when they're in the wrong place at the wrong time. She also said good morning to each teacher who walked down the hall behind her. Without looking up from her work she could see who was walking behind her.
Good Morning Mrs. Anson. How you doin this mornin?
Fine thank-you Miz Wells. How are you?
Blessed and in good favor. I love that
And I found myself thinking how does she know who's in the hall behind her? Does she have eyes in the back of her head? Well, of course she does. She's a mother. And grandmother. And great-grandmother. She told me so. 6 children. 15 grands. 6 great grands and 2 more on the way. So that's how she has 360 degree vision. I can only see directly in front of me, and directly behind me. With the help of the bathroom mirror, or the rear view mirror in the minivan. So when Ty stands up in the third row while I'm barreling down the highway, I can bust him in the middle of a sentence and he marvels that I KNEW he was unbuckled and standing up.
I guess if I get to the great-grand stage, I'll have panoramic vision too. My vision's pretty good now except for small print up close and I get to see some pretty cool things.
Like today I saw Hudson Beach Glass
I saw the beautiful old renovated fire house
I saw the cool interior studio that looks like
it would be the absolute BEST place to work
I saw these two women working together
to blow glass
So amazingly cool
Especially cool was the way these women
worked together to blow the glass.
The first thing I saw was synchronicity.
Like the process was choreographed
and they had done it
together a thousand times
Like they had eyes in the backs of their heads
and knew each others moves
around the hot glowing glass and tools
But this young lady giving the demonstration
was young
too young to have been working with
the older woman for very long
it seemed
blue glass
my favorite
how big do you think I can blow this piece of glass?
And then do you know what I saw?
I saw the older woman put on the protective glasses.
And I saw
same-same
mother and daughter
I saw the same sensitive artistic hands
holding the tools the same way
and I understood the synchronicity
how cool is that
mother daughter glass blowers
totally in sync with each other
do we see each other?
can I see her?
can she see me?
That last part is exactly my worry. It's making me tear up.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. I'm fascinated on every level. I wish my daughter and I had an art to share. We are learning to bake together and that is something, but I'm always anal and crabby and I'm working on that, trying to make it more fun.
ReplyDeleteShe has fun where ever she goes, so I'm learning from her...
I think it would be something to meet and chat with Miz Wells. She sounds original.
I bet you and Mia see each other just fine. Just look at those gorgeous eyes!
Oh, that's just gorgeous. I love every aspect of hand-blown glass-the creation, the finished product. It's just stunning. What an awesome field trip and what a lovely reflection on the shared vision of family.
ReplyDeleteAlso, every school I've ever worked at has had a wise older woman somewhere in the building. They, with their funky sayings and 360 vision, are the heart of the school.
Finally, I'm glad to hear that the hydrocell (?) surgery is easy. That's my guess as well, but it's always good to hear from somebody on the other side.
There is a place around here called the 3rd Degree Glass Factory....and the Foundry Art Studio. They do stuff like that at these places. Looks like you had a great time!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! No wonder those two were so in sync! How cool would it be to do that for a living?
ReplyDeleteMan, I wish I worked there!
ReplyDeleteYour daughter is adorable.
Love you, Michelle. Thanks for the tour of the glass works. Best part of my day.
SB
Beautiful, multi-layered post, my friend.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't see each other now, you will one day, assuming you nurture that (and I'm sure you do.)