recent observations, week 15.

dust motes, sunlight, & ways to help.

Tomato soup is even better with a scoop of lentils, all blended up.

Every home needs a chair that can be dragged directly into its sunniest spot.

Turning a plant to face the sun and watching it arch itself in that direction is very good for one’s mental health and aspirations.

Tiny shimmering bubbles in water glasses left on tabletops.

Pale green winter growth on rosemary and scented geranium and jasmine.

(Permission to thrive in spite of everything.)

From the right angle, dust motes look like sparkles.

Wash an air purifier cover and watch the sink water turn black, five times over until the water runs clear.

Not much smells better than a skillet chocolate chip cookie on a very cold night.

Socks in bed are not comfortable, but they are effective.

//

In case anyone has anything extra to offer this week:

I’ve spent the week trying to metabolize the grief and outrage that comes with living on a burning planet. Folks far more familiar with Los Angeles than I am are sharing lists of resources for care and aid that have cropped up in the days since—and long before—the fires began. I've decided to share a few here. If anyone is looking for ways to contribute, these lists provide ways to help from far and near. If you have other resources to share, or are seeking aid yourself, don’t hesitate to add notes and links to the comments. Beaming you all big, big love.

Kate’s list is comprehensive and thorough and very much worth a look if you’re looking for updated and accurate databases of GoFundMes (like this enormous one!), as well as one specifically for Black families, one specifically for Latine families, and many, many other mutual aid resources.

Zinzi’s list includes many of the same places to funnel funds, but also, critically, resources for housing support, including lists of folks offering skills and aid for folks who are currently unhoused.

Thee below might repeat some of what you can find above, but here are a few efforts from my own extended online community that I also wanted to highlight:

Block Shop is turning their Atwater Village store into a community space for folks needing a quiet place to gather and work. They’re currently seeking volunteers to run a children’s craft corner.

Suay Shop is collecting textiles for recycling. As you might have heard, donation drop-off areas are being inundated with castoffs that are not in useable condition. Sponsor a Suay It Forward Textile Recycling Bag ($20 for a 20 lb bag) and help keep donation centers operating smoothly.

Kalon Studios, who generously gave us our kitchen table just over five years ago, has partnered with local brands to host an LA Wildfire Relief Free Market at their studio in Atwater Village. Folks can sign up for updates and shop for free.

Project Camp is accepting donations and offering pop-up opportunities for kids affected by the fires.

Altadena Kindred is focusing on gathering donations for children. (They’re temporarily pausing their collection due to receipt of an overwhelming amount of unusable goods, but follow them for updates and how to help sort and organize.)

Restoring Altadena is a newly in-the-works database where creative folk can volunteer their services. Sign up here.

Finally, I’m leaving you all with this from Kate Schatz:

Community. Resilience. Care. Mutual aid. These aren’t just nice ideas. It’s literally how we’re going to survive these next four years, and beyond. This is how we’ll respond to the forthcoming disasters that await us. I’m not trying to be a downer—thinking about how people show up when the shit goes down actually gives me hope.