My bottles of earth & water from travels afar have finally been made spill-proof. If you’ve read DISPATCH for awhile you might know that I collect water & soil samples from places I visit. I like hearing the tiny shells tinkle agains the glass when I pick them up. Enjoy staring at the street rubble and imagining how it felt as it crunched under my feet. Or how I dug down into the sand with my toes when I stood at those distant shores. …remembering if the sun shone on the day they were collected. Or if storm clouds gathered overhead. I have miniature seas and oceans contained between glass. Just little parts of the world I like to gather around me.
After several close encounters with high-speed torpedo catters and toppled bottles I decided to seal ’em up! I used sealing wax from a brewery that I found online.
The most recent one from Pamucak Beach in Turkey says, “We swam in the sea and tried to do handstands!” I loved that day. Bobbing in the water with my sister. Trying over and over again to do handstands. Seeing who could float the longest on her back before capsizing. Even though my sister cheated and counted extra slow when I was on my back and couldn’t hear her, I think I still won! Afterwards we put clothes over our wet swim costumes and drove up a narrow mountain road to a little village, drank fruit wine, and had Turkish appetizers. The sun was setting when we drove back down the mountain. I remember that.
It was sunny and lovely today. I’m enjoying my respite from work so so much, but I’ve also been thinking a lot about the people in Libya fighting & dying for their freedom. Especially the ones who are afraid to leave their homes. One woman in particular who was having phone conversations with Anderson Cooper at night which he broadcast. Heart wrenching. So many Libyan citizens taking such risks to get their stories out to the rest of the world. And across the Middle East great waves of people yearning to be heard and seen. I couldn’t let another day pass without mentioning it here on the blog. Because I’m thinking about it and rooting for that great sea of humanity a continent and ocean away. Sending you hope dear Libya. You aren’t alone. The heart of the world is watching.
And If you’re curious about Libya like I am here is a travel video. It’s long, but beautiful.
I do the same thing with the little bottles. Mine are sealed with the corks they came with and I glue it in. Yours look so much prettier.
where were you before…I like this blog…something to read instead of “something stupid”…keep going see you soon
Susanna
gorgeous photos of the bottles – the wax is genius.
*makes mental note*
i’m a specimen and debris collector too – sand, dirt, snow.
ha, you were yawning…caught you at snow.
i am terribly behind with your shenanigans
as i see an istanbultr avel journal
in the sidebar and may faint from jealousy before getting over to it.
and now you are off to paris?
that means even more yummy journal pages documenting your
adventures…but let me ask you this….
ARE THERE ANY PAGES left in your passport?
safe journey.
Your bottle collection is STUNNING! Your travel adventures sound so fun.
Amazing. I didn’t know you did that and don’t know of anyone else who does. What a lovely idea.
Doesn’t it sort of blow your mind how all of a sudden so many different countries are suddenly revolting against their dictators? I wonder how history will look upon this time many, many years from now.
On my desk is a (not as pretty as yours!) bottle of sand, collected from the Libyan desert just about one year ago exactly. We spent a short time exploring that beautiful country, met the most charming and hospitable people and had a memorable trip. I blogged about the trip at the time – the first of a few posts is to be found at http://elegantsufficiency.squarespace.com/blog/2010/2/19/green.html if you’re interested.
So, like you, I’m thinking of the people in Libya, wondering in particular what’s become of the young woman pushing a stroller around the town, who stopped us to say “Welcome to my country. I’m so pleased you came”.
We are so glad we did and hope that we will be able to return!
I love your bottle collection btw!
I’m dying to know what distillery the wax came from. I have sealing wax, but I don’t think it would look like that. What you have looks more like what Maker’s Mark puts on their bottles. (I live a couple of hours from that distillery, and yet I live in a dry county. No Kentucky Bourbon for me sadly!)
What a great idea – I love your bottle collection! The labels make it extra special and the sealing wax is AWESOME!!!
What a lovely idea, Mary Ann. I’ve only ever heard of people collecting sand as souvenirs from the Isle of Wight (off the south coast of England). They bought little lighthouse-shaped bottles already filled with many coloured layers of sand.
Yours are far better!
And thank you for this thoughtful piece about Libya. It seems things will have to get worse before they get better (a saying of my Mum’s – and no doubt of many other Mums).
Wow! I just love your collection! I have always wanted to do this and maybe you have just inspired me to! Thanks for sharing such beautiful photos!
The wax was absolutely inspired!
You inspired me with your bottles. I have a (growing) collection of bottles of my own. I especially cherish the sand from the floor of the coliseum at El Jem, in Tunisia. And my black sand from Kalapana on the Big Island….so many shores, so many wonderful memories. See what you’ve started??!
Those bottles are awesome!! What a great collection to have and remember times well spent. I have always wanted to do this…but, really and truly, I wanted to collect Paris holy water out of the fonts. Somehow that always seemed sacrilegious to me, so I have never followed through. 🙂
Thank you sharing these pictures… love it!
Nothing better than California succulents.
Yes, fighting… death… war, very sad.
As a mother of an American soldier, I know the grief so well.
Your bottles of environment collection is perfection in every detail; the concept, the recording of place, the labels, the wax, everything! Sheer perfection!
That must have been some interview to get everyone going!
Wonderful post! I collect rocks from my travels. I love how you’ve saved your samples. So creative. I’m with you on Libya. My heart is breaking for those people. I’m going to watch the video now. Thank you Mary Ann!
Wow! I LOVE those memory bottles. What a great kind of art journaling!!
I heard those conversations of that woman and Anderson Cooper. You’re right: heart wrenching. And to see Anderson’s reaction to her voice just made it more so. Such a brave soul she is…
Ditto the earlier comment: the memory bottles are so cool. The wax makes them look antique and rather mysterious.
I, too, have been watching the news of all the unrest in the middle east; I was glued to the events in Egypt. The Libya video was very interesting; I learned lots of new info. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
love your collections in your bottles, great idea to seal them with the wax. the video is great, love those ruins. tfs