Earth Day

What better way to spend Earth Day than a Friday field trip to what seemed like the end of the world. Orrs Island was our destination...just an hour away.  

I dressed in earth colors today.

We ended up going to the end of the peninsula to Bailey Island....

it was a delightful way to spend a chunk of the day.

We love the rocky coast....and look at those clouds!

I grew quite fond of this boat house....quintessential Maine.

They say if you stretched out the coast of Maine it would reach to Florida.....we're going to need a lifetime of field trips to explore it all. Feeling blessed to live in such a beautiful place.  Happy Earth Day!

Along Our Route

Spring just keeps on coming!  How lucky are we!

This Japanese Andromeda was in full bloom along our route....it just glowed  in the morning light against the blue sky.

Our route also took us by Molly and Maggie's house....and some of their little painted stones were scattered around the tree by the street.  If you don't know about Molly and Maggie....this is probably the best post to read: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2021/10/creative-spirit.html  I've written about them several times....they've captured my heart.

Were the stones there all winter?.....or are they a new spring arrangement?  They were here for us today....and that's all that matters.

I was quite taken with the shadows...ours and the tree's shadow that seems to go on forever.  

It was a good walking route this morning.

Show Up

Good things happen when you just show up every day no matter what.  (That's what Paul just told me.)

It was a beautiful morning for a walk.....and today was the day this one lone daffodil showed up at the pond.  I didn't even notice it coming....but there it was greeting us with all its trumpet glory.  Just one.

Someone very dear to me is in a 12 step recovery program....and she calls her "making amends" step "living amends." Her mantra is to "show up" for people she might have hurt....and anyone who might needs her skills...her energy...or support.  It's inspiring....and it's working.

I have some tough stuff going on....and had a somewhat difficult day yesterday. But I showed up last night here on the blog and wrote a little something anyway.  It's good for me and keeps me grounded in a place of gratitude and joy.  I was so touched with a couple of comments from readers who actually needed to hear the simple words and appreciated the quote about hope.  It inspired Rosy to reply with a poem....and I'm guessing she wrote it.

Hope lives here.

She sits,

Comfortable

Patient

Serene

in a perfectly soft chair.

Breathing in

Breathing out

Inside this open heart,

She lives.  

Showing up matters....even if you don't say anything at all.

I had my second torn paper collage class today at Handiwork.  Although three people signed up, one had an unexpected conflict and unfortunately couldn't make it. I had the most delightful time with Linda and Sally.  We found shared connections and overlaps in our stories, had interesting conversation, and we all had fun painting with paper.  Both, are interested in more collage work.  Thanks for showing up to play with me!

Ha ha...I was curious and looked back....exactly one year ago today I wrote this post called "One":

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2021/04/one.html

Hope

Let each day teach you what it needs to teach you and take you where you need to go. 

Today took me in several different directions....literally and figuratively. And in the end my biggest takeaway is that I am hopeful for all that is possible....especially for those of us who don't have it all figured out.

Friends Helping Friends

"It's easier to build up confidence that to tear down arrogance. The people with the most potential are the ones who know they have a lot to learn."  Adam Grant

The daffodils are blooming in some of the sunny spots on our walking routes....there's always something new to see this time of year.

Like this sweet blue striped beauty. My app says it's "striped squill."

I took a field trip to Cotton Weeds Quilt shop in Freeport this morning to watch Jane quilt my colorful quilt for a little while. It's kind of mesmerizing.....and she's amazing.

The backing is purple....and the quilting pattern is kind of retro geometric.

How am I so lucky to have such a good friend willing to do this for me!

For those of you new to the blog....here's something I did for Jane three years ago....a stained glass privacy window for her bathroom.  

Here's a post with a glimpse into my process: 
http://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2015/08/thinking-outside.html

It was hard to see the textures in the clear glass in the photo above...so here's another shot before it was installed.  Lots of patterns in the glass....just like my quilt.  Friends helping friends....how lucky are we!

Dazzling

Happy Easter! 

"What I want in my life is to be dazzled. To cast aside the weight of difficult facts, and maybe even float a little above this difficult world." Mary Oliver

Isn't the color of these scilla blooms just dazzling?

Spent Easter with a couple of my favorite people.

Life Lines

If Easter or Passover is something you celebrate...I hope your weekend is filled with family and things that bring you joy.

The forsythia is starting to bloom around the neighborhood....the explosion of yellow is a sure sign of spring.

Paul and I walk past this stump almost every day as we head out of our condo complex.  Today we stopped and took a closer look...and it did not disappoint.  I love the curvy, almost flowery shape....and the stump was full of colors....textures...and life lines. 

It's larger that it looks here....and the roots spread way out.  I should have taken a context photo.

It actually looks like it was two trees that grew together.....making it even more interesting.  

Some of these these marks and lines are probably from bugs...and others from age...and wear and tear.

I loved the almost inky splotches on this section.

  

I'm a big fan of looking closely....it's good for my own life lines.

Unexpected Surprises

It's always a good day when it's filled with unexpected surprises.  

This morning I found this photo from Linda in my inbox....at least a dozen finches taking turns at her feeder. 

Paul spotted this odd little plant in front of the steps at the pond....not sure we've seen anything like it before. It looks like a tall skinny mushroom.

I plugged it into my Picture This app this evening and found out it's field horsetail....and can be quite invasive.  I'm wondering if I should pull it up. It's kind of cute...or is it odd.  I think it's both.

And I had to cross the street to check out this shrub....the color and long gangly branches drew me in. I love to see up close how things awaken.

And I was pleasantly surprised about how interesting it was. The Picture This app told me this is a smooth leaf willow.

And a few surprises came in the mail too....including this card and artwork from Eliza...my art buddy.  

It looks like spring....the first thing that came to my mind was purple crocus.

And....a card and gift from Susan...from Scotland.  I talked about our recent Zoom visit here: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2022/03/connected-by-cake.html

Susan repurposed a children's board book and created a six word story book inspired by the a shared project with my Wisconsin friends.  https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2015/01/six-word-story-booka-shared-art-project.html

Here are a few of Susan's creative pages....I love it!  

I love these paper flowers.

Different journeys....one aim...seeking joy! Thank you so much Susan!

What a great day full of unexpected surprises!

Playing Around

I'm almost always playing around with something creative....even when I don't think I have time....there's always a few minutes somewhere in the day.

This morning I experimented weaving gelli print "edge" scraps together. To hold the papers in place I wove on top of a piece of fusible webbing....then all I had to do was give it a quick press.

I cut out some some flowers....now these little daisies can be fused onto something else once I peel off the paper backing.

Yesterday I played around for a few minutes doodling on a few gelli prints with my sewing machine and a paint pen. My intention is to cut it up and use it in collage.....I think the stichting will add interesting texture.

And I've been playing around with my strategy for this next puzzle.....hand painted Marvelous Minerals by Abigail Kramer. I enjoy following @twiggyabi on Instagram....Abigail is not only a talented artist but she enjoys finding interesting things in nature and making beautiful arrangements.  She has a fabulous vintage colored glass collection and takes us along on her thrifting trips looking for more. Abigail has a great sense of humor and her posts always make me smile. 

https://www.instagram.com/twiggyabi/

I finally have the pieces all sorted and decided to work from top to bottom putting the border together as I go. You know how I love things in rainbow order.

And I'm actually looking forward to the bottom rows...with just the tiny writing of all the names of the minerals.  

This is another one I ordered at the same time....and Margie had it finished on her board when I visited today. I'll look forward to playing around with this one too!