Dorodango Dandy! An Introduction.

It's hard to identify the reasons why we are drawn to something, especially when that something is a little (cough cough) outside the mainstream.   (This post will not attempt to delve in this deep and vexing mystery.  There is no  need to worry about a philosophical  anthem of abstract and totally impractical ideas flowing from my fingers.  That type of post takes work and real thought, two things which I'm opposed to theoretically.)   I will admit that in some unnaturally wholesome way I'm attracted to dirt.  Not all dirt, mind you.  Not the dirt I scrape off of my children or the dirt that breaks sacred trust by crossing the boundary of my habitation, or the dirt that is almost dirt.  But clean, unsaturated, free range, primeval dirt is something to get excited about.

My interest in dirt started as a kid in Kansas.  Kansas doesn't have much, but it definitely has quality dirt.  In fact it is difficult to be the breadbasket of the country without it.  My grandfather was a farmer's farmer and as such he was always working in dirt.  Ploughing, planting, weeding, harvesting and discing were the rhythms of my childhood along with plenty of dust.  Fortunately my grandfather encouraged me to work with him and so as much as possible I was underfoot trying my best to be a farmer.  This was a rich childhood, full of crops, muddy tracks, and varied farm experiences, most of which had to do with dirt.  In retrospect, I guess this was the foundation where it all started.  Thank you Grandpa Regehr!

Anyone who knows me very well. as an adult, knows that I have a passion for the American Southwest.  This attraction is hard to explain and can only be understood by someone who has felt it themself.  A part of the enigma of this love, is the unending panorama of landscapes!  It seems as if around every corner there is a different world waiting to be explored, a cacophony of vibrant colors, geological formations, and whispering voices.  


One other thing it's got is nice dirt. Red, yellow, blue, pink, and purple dirt is just lying around all over the place waiting for someone to want it.  I have always had it in the back of my mind that it would be fun to start collecting the different colors, but I never seemed to get around to it, mostly because I couldn't think of an interesting way to display it.


And then along came the Myth Busters on the Discovery channel.  I don't remember the circumstances exactly but I do remember the episode in which they attempt to polish "almost" dirt.  Here it is for your viewing pleasure.

This episode introduced me to dorodango, the art of making dirt look really good by using only elbow grease and a little bit of water.  Over the next couple of weeks I would like to try my hand at this, and thought that I would invite my two readers along for the ride.  Now in the background I can hear my 2 brothers laughing at me for this peculiar interest, which is ok, because it will help them forget all the other stuff in my life which is the usual ammunition for their pointed barbs.  Laugh away, because soon dorodango will be a household word for the masses, not just Japanese preschool kids.  You my reader are on the vanguard.

....to be continued.