Where to begin
So, I’m beginning my blog. Most of what has kept me from beginning this blog has been this idea that I had to have everything perfect before I began. I wanted to have loads of content to add, pictures, and just be jazzed about the whole process. I wanted the website to be beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, but intuitive to use (well at least for me) and…well, none of that has happened. Like most of the things I do now, especially after having had kids, it’s all being done on the fly. I would like to take a more organized approach at some point, but I’m not going to judge myself about it right now. I’m doing something instead of just thinking about it. I’m a procrastinator, so this is serious progress to even have this up at this moment. I’d like to share a bit about myself and what my vision is for this website and blog.
Hello There!
My name is Noelle Davis. I currently live in Nairobi, Kenya and I absolutely love it here. I am living a beautiful life here and wish it could last forever. I have three
beautiful children and I am currently unschooling them. I have myriad interests and I am determined to become proficient in all of them at some point.
My most recent interest is sewing. I grew up surrounded by sewist. My mom, my grandmother, and my aunt were all the most divine black sewists. Each one of them influenced my notion that being creative wasn’t a something that you had to work at or did now and then. It was like breathing. Of course, you would find a way to cover that couch on your own. Of course, I’ll figure out how to make that quilt I’m wanting for my bed. Of course, I’ll make my niece’s communion dress. That’s just how things were.
Unfortunately, be it thinking I was too cool or just plain laziness, I never really learned how to do the sewing thing. My aunt attempted to teach me on several occasions and invested money in the tools for sewing as gifts several times, but it wasn’t until now that I felt I had the time and focus to really practice. I am determined to be as good or maybe better than my aunt. Not sure if that is possible, but I’m all about attaining goals that seem out of reach. Fuck it, right? Why not expect greatness?
My aunt was really one of those amazing sewists, though. She made black dolls. Her work has been showcased in countless books and is actually in the National Museum of African American Heritage in DC. So she’s kind of a big deal. I was always exceedingly proud of her and thought she was amazing, but never quite understood the extent of her acclaim until after her death. So now I’m on a mission to become a creator of so many things with fabrics and such.
A Garden to Nurture
I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have more interests to nurture. Another interest I’m insisting on at least becoming proficient at is gardening. I’d like to know how to grow my own fruits and vegetables. I actually feel based on the way this world is going that soon that is something every one will have to have some level of understanding to do. I have a garden at my home now in Nairobi, however I am not the caretaker of its fabulous abundance.
My house-manager ( I feel so weird saying that, but that is what he is and its wild) takes care of it. We’ve been eating from it for months now and it is the most satisfying feeling. I am like a little kid every time he walks into the kitchen carrying some of the garden’s harvest. Eyes wide and squealing, “That came from our backyard!!” It’s bananas to me. I know I am more than blessed to have this experience. My goal is to be at least his apprentice when it comes to the garden. I want to learn.
“You Can Make Anything by Writing” – C.S. Lewis
I want to learn so much more, too. I actually love learning. I just prefer it be on my own time and in the manner I choose. It’s that part that can sometimes make the learning of things tricky, but again. I’m determined. So the last thing I am super hoping to get good at is something I’ve been doing since I could write words.
I’ve always been told I was good at it and that is writing. Writing stories, poems, research papers, term papers, plays, you name it. If it had to do with the written word, I could dazzle just a bit if I really put my mind to it. Perhaps you’re reading this and thinking, “Really?! I can’t tell based on this mess of a blog I’m reading.” And I might be inclined to agree, albeit in a pissed bitchy kind of way cuz I’m sensitive. And then I might say, “See this is why I don’t write!” And it would devolve into my being extremely passive aggressive and slowly ghosting you out of my life. So let’s not go that route…well at least I won’t go that route.
I will just re-affirm that I intend to become a prolific writer of some pretty awesome shit. And soon. But, for whatever reason I can’t get out of my own way with the writing. My whole everything-has-to-be-perfect before I begin starts up or I feel like I’m not in the mood or I just can’t find the time to focus with three little glorious beings around. So it helps me to write about other people and for other purposes save myself. With that in mind, I thought I might start by showcasing all the amazing women/sisters I know. I’ll interview them and do a whole month exploring aspects of what they bring to the world. I think it’ll be fun.
What’s Next?
My only request of readers is patience. Patience with my fits and starts. Patience with me if it doesn’t manifest as one might had been hoping it would. Hmmm…you know I think I don’t it’s the readers that I’m hoping will have patience after writing this…It’s myself. Noelle…have patience. You’re new at this and still learning. You’re doing your best. Ok, whew.
