Meraki Figures — With love, imagination, and good cheer

March 21, 2013 by Teepee12 | 17 Comments

Friends, made with love. And straw. Plus some old clothing.

From the first time I ever saw autumnal or harvest figures in New England, I was fascinated with them. They are a distinctly New England “thing.” They don’t seem to have any history or mythology. They simply sprang up and began appearing. People just create them out of whatever they happen to have on hand. They sit them on benches, hang them in trees, tuck them on porch swings and on rooftops.

I wanted to make my own and this year, I did.

I bought a bale of hay and I went to the church yard sale and bought some old clothing. I found some of my own unused clothing and brought that out. I took a couple of pillow cases to use for heads.

On a sunny October afternoon, my granddaughter, her best friend, me and whoever felt like wandering into the yard and helping built our two friends. My granddaughter drew the face on one, her friend drew the other. We all stuffed. I found a couple of brooms. We plopped them on a bench and tucked them in amongst the forsythia.

They seemed tired, as if they has just brought in the whole harvest on their own.

They were made with love, hemp cord, old clothing, straw … and a good dollop of imagination and good cheer. Made with love. Enjoyed for a whole season and through one winter and into the spring. Is this Meraki?

I do most things with love. I write with love, I take pictures with love. I care for my family, my friends and all of it is love because there is no other reason to do it.

But these were not ONLY love. They were also fun. That’s a special kind of love … love with a light heart.

For anyone who wants to make their own figures, warning: you need a lot more straw than you think. Get two bales of hay, not one!