This crystal-topped staff hand-made by Alys Shilo (photo made in 2014) from various natural and machine-made objects, no plastic involved.

Caroline Ross’s post on Touch was a serendipitous discovery this morning, after a few weeks of thinking about my sense of Smell and Taste, worrying about them not coming back after the medical procedures I had last month. Both okay now, with my interest in how we use them enlivened by their possible loss.

Her list of five things to touch every day seems like a good start … Abbreviated to their headings by me … if you’re interested you can see the examples Ross gives in the article linked below.

1. Entirely unmade
2. Unmade but modified
3. Handmade but unmade material source
4. Machine made, unmade material source
5. Machine made, artificial or mixed source materials

https://carolineross.substack.com/p/ultra-processed-things

Although it’s still only noon here, I’ve already touched dozens of objects in category 5 (table, couch, laptop, etc etc)nand quite a lot fewer in the first four categories.

Quite a few things I touch every day need a bit of analysis. For example, the carpet in these units is said to be wool. It’s obviously machine-made. But does it have a plastic backing? Yes. So it’s another thing in category 5 and here I thought I was walking on a natural substance.

Definitely in category 1 is my bit of polished wood that I picked up from Raglan Beach, North Island NZ about 50 years ago, and keep in my pocket.

2. Unmade but modified. Hmmm. The examples are “ground coffee, stone paperweight, wooden walking stick, dried apple rings, raisins, a fallen log to sit on.” At breakfast I had currants on my cereal … and seeds, and various other unmade food-sources. Another easy one where food is concerned. Lol, a fallen log to sit on. Up here in my Level Two unit? Maybe not.

3. Handmade but unmade material source … that’s a hard one as I haven’t painted yet today and haven’t yet used ochre. or a handmade paint brush.

4. This one is easy for me. Machine made, but unmade material source. Wearing anything other than cotton, linen, silk, or viscose gives me hives and or eczema. Cotton, linen and silk are all unmade material sources.

That’s my five. How did you go?