Endless fields of sepia
Filled with waving flax
Men hacking full stalks
Wipe sweat from their brow
While tying up their day’s work
Before returning home
Together man and wife
Beat, strip and clean
Their efforts showing
As stalks become
Softer with every movement
Click on an image to see the photographs of Kolpa Krajinski Park up-close:
Welcoming his visitors – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Peaceful – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Spinning Wool – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Continuing the process of creating threads – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.comContinuing the process of creating threads – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
The lovely couple – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Woman begins to spin
Her fingers pressed tightly
Together
Holding with one hand
A wooden rod
And the other
Steadily twisting stems
A loose knot forms
Purposefully crafted
From stalk to wisps
From wisps to string
From string to knot
Click on an image to see the photographs of Kolpa Krajinski Park up-close:
Spinning wool and pouring Rakia – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Dark and light hand-crafted threads – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Fine Threads of Wool – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Hard at work – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Hay Thatched Roofs – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Weaving – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Now knotted
The flax is bleached
Void of color
Pure
Spun
Woven
Sewn
Into clothing
Into bed cloaks
Into linen
Click on an image to see the photographs of Kolpa Krajinski Park up-close:
The home-owner’s wedding photo – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Modeling at Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Hand Knit Blankets for the BFG – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Blast from the past – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
I Feel Slovenia Model – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Women put on the clothing
Accompanying outfits
With a touch of color
A scarf
Or belt
As a status symbol
Setting her apart from other
White-wearing women
Men put on the clothing
Returning to fields
Adding spots of white
Setting him apart
In an otherwise sepia field
Click on an image to see the photographs of Kolpa Krajinski Park up-close:
Caught in the act – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Rakia – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Welcome Home – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – by Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
Both work endlessly
Their lives,
This.
From what was and what will be.
From nature
Comes nourishment
Comes life
Comes a lifestyle
Leading to a name
Of land and honor
“Bela Krajina”
“White March”
Learning how to knit – Krajinski park Kolpa – Nature Parks – Slovenia – Anika Mikkelson – Miss Maps – http://www.MissMaps.com
To this day
Nearly 200 years
From its initiation
Tradition continues
Man and wife
Live harmoniously
With nature’s gifts
Southeastern Slovenia’s National Park
Krajinski Park Kolpa
Pays homage to days past
While enjoying the present
And reaching masterminds
Of the future.
Check out the video Big Berry put together about Kolpa Krajinski Park. Make sure to watch it until the very end!
Miss Maps 
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