Appalshop
Dayle in Limoux – Day #26
July 31, 2022Kentucky
The devastation, as many all over the planet are learning, is awful. It will take weeks, months, and years to salvage and re-build in Kentucky from historic flooding there; some will not be able to afford that privilege, having lost everything, and having so little to begin. My source from France has been following Appalshop. I have been connecting with them for years after discovering their work through research I was doing for my inquiry, being instantly connected to their purpose to not only archive and document life in Appalachia, but to teach and connect and serve. They do this lovingly through film and music, radio, video and other media. Their’s is an idea I deeply wanted to see emulated in many communities across the United States. I remember talking to one reporter specifically about it in Sun Valley, Idaho. Today, a note from them…
‘Dear Appalshop Community,
To say the past few days has been overwhelming would be an understatement. We have felt immense grief and sorrow, pain and fear, and a bone-deep dread of discovering the true toll of these floods on our building and our archive. But we have also felt incredible gratitude for all the love and support that has poured out on our behalf and on the behalf of our community.
Our recovery begins, and it will take weeks, months, even years in some cases. When the floodwaters first receded, we discovered that our apple tree that’s planted on the grounds beside our beloved shop was still standing with its young roots intact. Despite record floodwaters of over twenty feet, our little apple tree still stands, bearing fruit and hope.
Thank you all for your kindness and your willingness to come together for us and for the Appalachian community. There are no words to express how deeply we love and appreciate all of you.
“In the essential prose
of things, the apple tree
stands up, emphatic
among the accidents
of the afternoon, solvent,
not to be denied.”– excerpt from “The Apple Tree” by Wendell Berry
In solidarity,
Appalshop’
They have also organized a flood support link:
‘Please continue to share our resources page at appalshop.org/floodsupport. We’ve managed to raise thousands in direct aid and get immediate help to so many folks in need thanks to our community, and the needs will continue in the days and weeks ahead.’
Before the flood.
‘Appalshop started as a film workshop in 1969, and 50 years later we’re still documenting and revitalizing the traditions and creativity of Appalachia.
We tell stories that commercial industries don’t tell. We challenge stereotypes with Appalachian voices. And we do it all with artists who are from and committed to this region.’
Two sweet rescue photos…wearing their little rain boots.
Sgt. Maj. Tim Lewis of the Kentucky National Guard escorts three boys to a helicopter for evacuation from an area inundated by floodwater.
Reportedly, crews have made more than 1,200 rescues from helicopters and boats.
I am testing again tomorrow. Hopeful for just one of those little lines. Still coughing and a sore throat, but the congestion is way better. I haven’t had an appetite, just drinking tons of fluids. If I could get money back on all my recyclables, I might be able to purchase a small Citroën. And today, the kindness of new acquaintances from Limoux who sent me a message saying they have some food for me they made, this cold tomato soup (vitamin C!), and an incredible Chile relleno casserole. Are you kidding me?! Yes! Please. Unpacking their goodies after they left them for me downstairs, the aroma, just looking at it (!) encouraged hunger pains. :) Margot and Fred, you are the best French friends une fille Americaine could ever dream! It must have been mana because I thought I died and gone to heaven. It’s been a lot of days of pain (break, not pain) & fromage. This was welcomed and incroyable! Angels on our path.
Bonne appétit to me! ♡
The woman who owns my building who is in the hospital with Covid is now conscious and out of her coma. Her sister will be with her in Carcassonne on Tuesday and her daughter will be joining next week. Promising developments. She has been so ill. She was vaccinated, but not boosted.
~
Reading & researching lots about Languedoc…langue d’oc, the language of Occitan…John the Baptist…😳…and Lazarus, Cathars, Inquisitions, Gospel of John, more Cathars, Mary Magdaline, the Waldensians and Albigensians, pelicans and wisdom, consolamentum, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeans, Bogomils, sacred geometry, Gnosticism, D U A L I S M (a fan…big time), Descartes, Pope Innocent III, Evil, Rex Mundi. This: “Think how many turns the line of development of forces must have taken to come from the Gospel preaching of love to the Inquisition.” Indeed. And hasn’t stopped.
Reading about Pope Francis’ apology this week, begging forgiveness from the Indigenous People in Canada for the “evil committed by so many Christians.” He cited the cultural destruction and physical, verbal, psychological, and spiritual abuse of children in residential schools run by the Catholic church. Awful, awful history. All I kept thinking in context of this region I’m now living and the medieval history, is that his plea needs to go way back. Waaaaaaay back. Yeah, thinking of you Pope Innocent III and Pope Gregory the (not so) Great. How different history could have unfolded without the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, and basically Roman Catholics. (The Pope is looking ahead to the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, as a “source of unity between Christians.” Nope. Hard no. Christians and unity, kinda not a thing (especially at Nicaea).
So many places to explore and map as Covid explodes and triple digits return. (Have you heard about the new variant beyond BA.5? They named this one ‘BA.2.75,’ nicknamed ‘Centaurus.’ Invades even more rapidly than BA.5. Yay.) We’re supposed to have a booster mid-September that battles the variants a little bit better than the initial boosters and vaccines. With so many people choosing not to vaccinate, as well as not mitigating behaviors, the variants are growing. I saw a clip of people getting on a plane in Amsterdam after seeing Pearl Jam, singing an Eddie Vedder tune…very cute…packed!…sitting on the tarmac, no ventilation…and all I kept seeing was 🦠 🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠🦠. And no masks.
Some books to find after researching today:
Stalked by the plague, ‘The Maiden of All Our Desires’ follows a medieval abbey at a time when monastic life was a refuge for women, “Revolutionary women thinkers like Hildegard Von Bingen, Julian of Norwich & Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz.” Just published in February:
And this book from two researchers who made a discovery viewing a painting and decided to dive in on the backstory of enslaved people during Louis XIV’s reign,
I was able to sit in on a virtual presentation with art history professor Meredith Martin and historian Gillian Weiss as they ‘unveiled an uncommon picture of art and power in the dawn of modern France through a look at the depiction of slavery, in ship and artillery design, militaria, paintings, and prints.’ What’s fascinating is there is little known about maritime enslavement during this time. Love these finds. One of my most cherished research discoveries was made combing through the Archives at DePauw University in Indiana a few years ago, literally stumbling upon something I had no idea existed. Huge. Saving it for my book. :)
~
I have an idea…
Let’s meet for breakfast in Montmartre.
À bientôt.
❀
Dayle in Limoux – Day #23
July 28, 2022Feeling the same is way better than feeling worse. Cough, congestion, sore throat, no fever, and isolation. I’m going to test again tomorrow. I read earlier that we can still have symptoms without shedding. In France, isolation for 7 days required; most epidemiologists I follow say the U.S. guidelines for 5 day isolation, not enough. And many believe 10 days before the virus is no longer contagious. I’m finishing day four. The woman who owns my building who was taken to the hospital is not doing well; she’s connected to many tubes, although I don’t think they have intubated her yet. She was taken to the hospital in Carcassonne. I am waiting to hear prognosis and overall medical analysis.
So, reading, researching, writing, and drinking lots of fluids. My only living contact today…
A French kitty! This is the first time I’ve seen this little guy, or anyone on this balcony. So sweet. Our only interaction seemed to be mutual admiration…:)…at least from this balcony.
And these folks. I love them.
They meet everyday and just talk. One woman showed up with her pocket book, too, à la Queen Elizabeth. Others will join and leave throughout the day, and sometimes, they just sit together in silence. One woman was leaned way over for an extended bit of time, and the woman sitting next to her simply rested her hand on her back. So sweet and tender.
In Limoux, on the Place de la République, known as a ‘square’ in the U.S., although surrounded by cafes, outdoor seating, I never see laptops or people walking around carrying ‘go’ cups. Cafe au lait in France, at least in this region, is for pausing, and talking, sharing. It’s quite lovely. F-2-F c o m m u n i c a t i o n. What a strikingly powerful concept. U.S. culture could use some tips.
My thoughts are with the folks at Appalshop in Kentucky tonight, crushed by the devastation of the flooding they’re seeing surrounding their community building and hub. They posted this image and note earlier:
It’s heartbreaking to see our building like this, and more rain is in the forecast this evening. Our hearts are heavy and with all of our community right now as we face down a long night and a longer recovery ahead. More resources here: appalshop.org/floodsupport
From Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear:
“This is going to be yet another event that it’s going to take not months, but likely years for many families to rebuild and recover from.”
#Climate Breakdown
Heaven forbid anyone make a comment about a shifting climate–all the wackadoodles emerge. Speaking of which, did Sen. Joe Manchin wake up on a different side of the bed today? We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.
Someday soon, the rate we’re moving.
From Global Citizen today:
It’s Earth Overshoot Day. It marks the date each year when humanity has used up more natural resources than our planet can regenerate. For the next five months, every resource we extract is being borrowed from future generations.
Each year, Earth Overshoot Day happens earlier in the calendar. Humans are consuming more than the Earth can produce. We’re overfishing, overharvesting, and overdrilling – and it’s taking a toll on our planet.
We can give up, Climate Warriors. All actions, massive and minute, are needed.
Shhhhhh. I’ll let you know. Researching for when I can explore again.
Dusk in Limoux.
Almost finished with my latest Mary Magdalene book I picked up at Rennes-le-Chateau. Can’t wait to go back. Learning so much.
A beautiful and important life this man had. James Lovelock. I first learned about him in my studies a number of years ago. Brilliant mind, humble spirit, enlightened awareness.
English independent scientist, environmentalist and futurist. He is best known for proposing the Gaia hypothesis, which postulates that the Earth functions as a self-regulating system.
Here’s a definition of the Gaia hypotheses:
The Gaia hypothesis, also known as the Gaia theory, Gaia paradigm, or the Gaia principle, proposes that living organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings on Earth to form a synergistic and self-regulating, complex system that helps to maintain and perpetuate the conditions for life on the planet. [wikipedia]
“The idea that humans are yet intelligent enough to serve as stewards of the Earth is among the most hubristic ever.” -James Lovelock in an interview with the Guardian newspaper, March 2010.
Vérité. [Truth.]
The U.S. government dropped a website for heat information this week.
National Integrated Heat Health Information System
‘The website brings heat-related weather forecasting, as well as health and safety information.’
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Appreciate heat monitoring and safety, pieces on #climateanxiety. But. We must #LookUp. #Gaia is pleading for our help.
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“Everyone of us can make a small contribution. It doesn’t have to have a huge effect if you look at it in isolation. Because it’s the sum of all projects that will make the change.“
#ClimateWarriors
Posted by @akshatrathi–senior reporter Bloomberg News
People leaving their jobs to fight climate change.
On twitter he posted a thread showing numerous folks who have done just that. https://twitter.com/AkshatRathi/status/1552012598580809729?t=LGUtd-34M7hCjvnuzfdO4w&s=19)
“He quit Google to work on climate change. Now, he’s helping others do the same thing.”
‘If there’s so much shouting and screaming in 2022 about cutting emissions while keeping things running, imagine what that noise is going to be like as we get closer to the net zero target.’ Indeed.
Eugene Kirpichov
“The reason I’m leaving is because the scale, urgency, and tragedy of climate change are so immense that I can no longer justify to myself working on anything else, no matter how interesting or lucrative, until it’s fixed,” Kirpichov wrote in an email to colleagues. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I think others, who have the privilege of being able to do so, should follow suit. I like to frame the problem positively as ‘how much can we save,’ and every one of us can have a hand in saving something.”
From Grist:
Should climate change be my new career calling?
To paraphrase Naomi Klein, everything has to change. So where does that leave people like you?
https://grist.org/article/should-climate-change-be-my-new-career-calling/
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If you haven’t had a chance to see the series Dopesick, with Michael Keaton and massively strong cast, you can still see it on Hulu. Incredible storytelling and acting about the opioid epidemic, how it started, and how it continues to destroy lives and families…communities…because of Purdue Pharma’s greed and the sociopathic Sackler family. Eight episodes. Watch for the breakout performance by Kaitlyn Dever as Betsy Mallum. Here’s the trailer.
I started watching it with no idea what it was going to be like–completely knocked out. It’s based on the book written by Beth Macy, ‘Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America.’
Just the other day I came across this animated short film about the power of addiction, the immediate highs, and then, the crash. It gives an understanding of addiction. It was apparently released in 2014 and is being revived by users on TikToK. It’s called “Nuggets” by Andreas Hykade.
“I wish I never would have tried drugs. Not even once.” Miss you D.
I received a link today from a group trying to help those with addiction into recovery. It’s from the outreach team at Start Your Recovery. They asked me to share it with Dayle’s Community Cafe. Here’s the link.
‘Start Your Recovery was developed by bringing together substance use disorder treatment experts from leading nonprofit, academic, and government institutions. Through this resource, members of your community can hear stories from people with similar experiences, discover the answers they need for recognizing and dealing with substance use disorder, and locate support.’
More from the U.S. Department of Justice and the NIC, The National Institute of Corrections.
StartYourRecovery.org provides helpful information for people who are dealing with substance use issues — and their family members, friends, and co-workers, too. We know that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the challenges faced by those who misuse alcohol, prescription or illegal drugs, or other substances, and we aim to break through the clutter to help people at any stage of recovery.
Our goal is to offer people who are dealing with substance use issues a single source of reputable, objective information about signs, symptoms, conditions, treatment options, and resources — presented in a user-friendly format and in language that’s easy to understand. First we asked: “Why doesn’t someone offer access to these resources in one place?” Then we asked: “Why don’t we?”
https://nicic.gov/start-your-recovery-substance-abuse-resource-support
Stay safe.
Mask.
Be kind.
Bonne Nuit.
❀