January Moments
A full moon emblazoned the night’s sky on the first day of this new year almost as if to say ‘get ready for things to come.’
In that vein, January moments have included the following:
January 3 – 5, I visited New Orleans to see my friend, Dr. E. Gaynell Sherrod. We had dinner with some of her friends that Saturday evening. Late Sunday morning we participated in my first ever second line parade. If you’ve never done one, a second line includes people who follow the "first line" of Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs' brass bands to celebrate a jazz funeral without the body. People are everywhere and you have to gently but firmly hold your space to enjoy the music, dance and comradery of the crowd. The experience was exciting and joyful. A video captures the experience as best I could.
After the second line, Gaynell, another friend, and I went to the Sunday closing of Dawoud Bey’s “Elegy” exhibit, a three-part photographic series and two films depicting the "arc of enslavement through sites central to its history in Virginia, Ohio and Louisiana," at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA). For one of the films, "350,000," she choregraphed the soundtrack. The entire exhibit was spiritually moving. Afterwards, we explored the amazing NOMA Sculpture Garden, which helped to soothe the intensity of the exhibit experience. A video features special moments at NOMA. Both videos were nicely edited by my son, Jeremy Harris.
I’d always wanted to visit the Baldwin & Co. coffee + bookstore. After Monday morning’s breakfast, we and another of Gaynell’s friends went there. It’s a quaint bookstore inside and outside.
January 9, I finished the third in a series of art quilts called “Village Women’s Work.” And as usual Emi looked on.
January 14 – 16, Sadly I drove to Pensacola, FL for my sister-in-law, Betty’s funeral. While sad, I was grateful to be there to support my brother, nephew, grandniece, and Betty’s large loving family in Florida. No pictures, just stayed in the moment during that time.
January 24, A winter storm began. A nice hibiscus tea hot toddy helped me ride out that first night.
January 25, Lots of snow and ice by the second day of the storm. Emi is already tired of the weather because it’s cramping her style for running around the yard. But in the midst of bitter cold temperatures, I spotted baby cacti on larger pieces I’d brought from my friend, Inge’s yard back in November.
January 27, Not only is the pond on my home place frozen, but everything is frozen solid. After my morning yoga practice and meditation, I started weaving after finally assembling the tabletop loom purchased at the Textile Center in Minneapolis, MN, where I attended a Siddi Style Quilting Workshop back in July 2025. It hurts my heart to think of what people up there are going through now. The horrors nauseously perpetuated against people resisting the onslaught of authoritarianism in this country is numbing. But we resist in our own fashion and I’m not one to criticize how anyone chooses to do so.
January 28, With this winter storm there’ll be no travelling on the road for me for a while. My driveway and little road to the main street is frozen solid. Most disappointing will be not going to see Angela Davis speak and deeply reflect on the global struggle for freedom from Mississippi to Palestine at Tougaloo College this evening. Sequestered most likely for these last few days of the month, tonight I’ll probably hunker down with a generous bowl of homemade soup topped off with another hibiscus tea hot toddy, while I watch the live stream of Professor Davis’s talk.
As we weather these storms, real and metaphorical, blessings to everyone and always remember to do what’s best to nurture you, family, friends and your community. Peace, wisdom, gratitude be with us all.