Shade Home at Kirsty and Heather’s, November 20 2010
Shade Home at Kirsty and Heather’s was our final gathering; for this event, we thought about welcoming homes and fires, being able to drop in on your neighbours at any time, and gathering sociably round the fire. We thought about fire festivals, carrying coals from their friends Alex and Gemma’s to Kirsty and Heather’s house. We also thought about sustainability, making homes where you can grow everything you need in the garden. Hillfields was one of the first garden estates to be built in Bristol after WW1, an intersection between the ideals of Ebeneezer Howard’s Garden City movement, and the reality of land ownership and distribution. (see Yesterday’s To-morrow – Bristol’s Garden Suburbs By Stephen E. Hunt which is outlined at http://www.brh.org.uk/publications.html)
Alex lights the welcoming fire, as we meet at Alex and Gemma's home
To send us off from Alex and Gemma’s, Shade Landowner and Poet Baljinder Bhopal thought about ritual, about the Japanese sun goddess, and how many legends have the sun goddess in retreat to explain winter and the darkness. Landowner Baljinder also issued blankets in red and blue, setting up groups but also keeping people warm!
Shade Activist China Fish and Shade Landowner Baljinder think on winter rituals and solstices
When we arrived at Kirsty and Heather’s house, bringing coals from Alex and Gemma’s to light their firepit, Shade Activist China led everyone in putting messages in the fire, to pass on messages or send off things you no longer wish to keep.
Guests wrote messages to go into the fire, wishes for the future, hopes for the winter, and farewells to summer
Shade Explorers warmed everyone up with hot soups, borscht and Caribbean pepper pot soup, and we all headed into the kitchen for a sushi demonstration by our host Heather, because Japanese food makes Home in this house. Shade Dandy Hilary assisted with the sushi rolling!
Sushi - maki rolls: 'Here's some I made earlier'
Shade Dandy Hilary and Host Heather make sushi
Then Shade Musicians Heather and Amanda began to trade songs with guest John, starting a fantastic musical evening, trading songs from putting on The Ritz to Ian Dury’s hymn to Joyce, Vicky et al….
Shade Muscians Heather and Amanda rise to the challenge as Guest John suggests some more songs
Shade performers, hosts and guests then sat down to dinner, swapping stories about what made home to them, and what food makes them think of home.
dinner in the living room
duck wraps with plum sauce, as Kirsty remembered her and her mum's efforts to do a speedy version of Chinese crispy duck
The musicians, Shade performers and guests alike, continued to swap songs and stories – Shade musician Amanda and her partner Bec talked about how they met, and Bec’s Mum’s apple brandy. Guest Alex served a pie he’d made almost entirely from home produce, and offered around his homebrew.
Guest Celia brought cake and a story of home and baking
Amanda and Bec talked about meeting in Australia, and Bec's Mum's apple brandy
Liz's mice
- Puddings became stories about cakes, baking and home – guest Liz offered everyone chocolate mice on sticks, remembering her time in Malawi when roast mouse was a protein snack
Shade Hostess Jacky served pineapple crumble; we also enjoyed an apple pie and pavlova from hosts and guests to this event.
Shade Hostess Jacky prepares to introduce pineapple crumble
The event ended with guests being invited to have their portrait /passport photos taken, thinking about how they wanted their ideal passport, in front of the Shade wallpapers that decorated the hall. We also had an impromptu announcement of marriage!
Guest Michael passed with a smile and good gardening knowledge!
Jude brought a great smoked mackerel pate
Reetha decided on a hairflower for her passport portrait
Thanks very much to Kirsty and Heather for being our generous Hosts for the evening, and to all our guests for being part of the many magic moments that make up a Shade Home event.
Thanks also to Cedar and Verona, for running the backstage in the kitchen so brilliantly, and to Barry for helping us pack the next day.