The thin sliver of glass
that separates controlled humidity
from the wild, blue open
is an invisible barrier.
My inside world is laden with nature.
I choose to fill my home with colors, textures and objects
that blur the line between
outdoors and indoors.
I often find gifts from creation
that have an unusual color, shape or feature …
so I pick them up and bring them inside.
I love the way this oak gift dried open and flat
with her sweet little acorns scattered along the main stem.
So, I picked her up and brought her inside.
Often, my stick and root finds
make their way into artwork.
This brings me such contentment.
These branches are grand.
One has great movement
with branches that twist to the side
rather than reaching straight out.
And the one in the foreground ….
has lovely little buds.
I brought them in, too.
Some of my branches have found a home above.
This is my office/art space ceiling.
It is vaulted so there is space for a canopy of twigs.
Dried orchid blooms
and still-green-oak leaves sit beside sticks and reindeer moss.
A bowl cradles Sycamore fruit.
A pine cone from a long ago adventure
rests on a tray.
What once was a single jar ….
has become a trifecta of collected beauty.
And this tiny bowl
holds a broken piece of beauty
that I adore.
Small. Unevenly spaced. And intricate.
I look at it often when I sit at the table to dine.
And it makes me so happy.
I will definitely work her into a tiny piece of art …
a little, bitty, tiny work of art.
Here’s the thing …
you have to know yourself
to know what makes you happy.
You have to separate yourself from the
things you’ve been told about
who you are,
what you should like
and what you should do …
to really consider
what brings you joy.
What makes your heart sing?
What makes your soul dance?
Give it some thought.
Then begin to surround yourself
with the things and the people
that bring you the greatest joy!
This morning, I am reminded
that nature makes me happy.
What brings you joy on this marvelous Monday morning?
