2008 October | Solessence

Home » Posts made in October, 2008

Posted by hillary on Oct 16, 2008 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

Time for an intervention?

Way OT here, but on a walk today along the river/creek, we passed by the overflow, sewage, whatever this offshoot thing is.

Now, this probably happens every year, but it was the first year I noticed. My son and I peered over the edge to spy frogs we had seen in the past. The water level is very, very low, but was teeming with life. The waters rippled and splashed anytime we got close. Upon closer inspection, we could see groups of mouths breathing at the surface of the brackish water. Not a frog to be found, but lots of fish. All different kinds.

Live Calico types with whiskers (catfish?)

Less fortunates (two total)
These were actually a good 6″ long or so. Hard to tell if the same as the dark grey ones in water

And then a group that is really hard to discern due to the dark waters. If you’ve got a bead on the types of fish these might be, would love to hear your guesses.

The river is a bit fast moving at the moment. Even the lone female mallard was having a hard time with the current. Would it do any good to scoop these guys up? Pray for rain? Leave them to fate? What say you to this?

Posted by hillary on Oct 16, 2008 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

Chances are…

We’ve been excited to have a few customers from the Wieden + Kennedy firm, which creates amazing ads. This one is no exception. I think everyone likes to reflect on life paths, how/when they intersect with others. Just a cool piece.

Thanks to badbanana for the original post.

Posted by hillary on Oct 15, 2008 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

Blog Action Day – Poverty – Thembalethu

The Hummingbird Project was started to help support groups in moving beyond surviving, to thriving. The main focus has been to raise monies for Thembalethu Welfare Society, a registered non-profit in Harding-Natal, South Africa. When we first came to the location, during apartheid, children were living in the forests, eating feces. The basics of having a roof over their head have lead to children growing up nourished, protected, and guided to becoming productive members of society.

Thembalethu is currently in need of hiring a person to head up the organization for minimum 3 years. There is the capability of a running brick making factory on site for revenue, along with the farm vegetables. I would love to hear from people with experience in hydroponics, as there is a river running through the property. Read more here about an inspiring Zulu couple.

Money, shoes, and school uniforms are needed. Of course, if you are interested in relocating to this beautiful, remote spot, and have the skills to run an orphanage/school/farm…this could be the position for you.

This ‘hill’ contains 40,000 bricks made from the local soil. It happens to be prime brickmaking mud. The bricks are fashioned in this circular, beehive style, and a fire is lit in the center. Mud is caked to the outside to retain heat. After two weeks, the fire has cured the mud, and the pyre is dissssembled. The bricks closest to the center come out blue/black and are very, very hard. These are used for exteriors. A working factory is laid out but not fully functional. This could be a source of revenue for the home.