be a noble beast....

 Boro detail. (thank you, Lisa) "Boro" means "rags" in Japanese. In the midst of this long winter, I am comforted by the thought, at least in this instance, that "ragged" and "beautiful" can be synonymous...
 
Earlier this week, in response to a particularly overwrought email from me, a very wise (and beloved) person wrote: 

How does one relate to a society that pays more attention to Charlie Sheen's ongoing nervous breakdown than it does to the care of its hungry children?

And then I read this.   And then I decided I needed to seek out substance. And so....

Culture Stops!  Tomorrow.

Friendship. The refreshing substance of my friend, Georgia. A woman who comes bearing good wine,  thoughtful books for my daughter, a Thierry Mugler skirt, a fierce intellect, and a book of matches, just for me, from here. Georgia is a dancer. Which reminds me of the substance of discipline:

Ballerina Project.

If we are tired of being cold (and we are), it's time again to go here, to Butch's place, for a substantive celebration.  Maybe, if we're lucky, Natalie will teach us to love our thread.

Use art to turn the world inside out. The substance of JR. Support this extraordinary work here.

The beauty of an artist in her studio.

Closer to home, my vote for Maine's most fascinating woman of substance.

When I was a child, my mother, always in a black turtleneck, eyebrow arched, cigarette in hand, would admonish the oft-misbehaving family dog to "be a noble beast". I was not immune from receiving this directive as well. If my daily life becomes too sodden with the trivial, I hear her voice in my head and this credo....a reminder to change course.

And be a noble beast.