Ahhhh, spring, season of fresh starts

Spring, the season of the fresh start.

Thank goodness.

And now that the trees and bulbs are in bloom, I am blooming, too.

There is so much inspiration at every turn.

How can one help from laughing out loud, from singing, from grabbing a pencil and a brush and completely forgetting what you're "supposed" to get done today?

I had to go sketch the grape hyacinths. After all, they are here and go in about the time it takes to blink.

And the daffodils. The primroses. Those amazing flowering trees!

I hardly want to go to sleep at night because there is so much fodder for the creative mill. 

I woke up last night with a vision of fern designs dancing in my head!

And even the ranunculus that came home from Trader Joe's to brighten the kitchen this week.

After the dull winter inside and out, what joy to find spring and color and life returning again!

With deadlines chasing my tail and the New York show looming, I really ought not to spend this afternoon outdoors, but the violets are calling and I don't think I can resist sneaking out with a pencil in my pocket...

Of shore birds and friendship

“You know what I like about you?” she asked.

“No, I have no clue.”

“You’re an odd bird... and so am I.”

I didn’t know whether to be flattered or feel the sting of a backhanded compliment. 

But I did know she was right. 

We are both not like most other people.

That was years ago and that day I began to see the beauty of being different, to embrace the uniqueness of each individual.

Even myself.

This week I walked along a Florida beach with two of my dearest friends and contemplated the shore birds...

sometimes a single bird fighting powerful surf alone

sometimes almost seeming to dance and play in the waves,

bobbing and racing

standing alone or as mirror images

and at times you see them walking alongside one another

as my dear friends have done for me during recent storms in my life

The birds know how to sit in the sun and simply rest.

The beauty of the beach soaked into our bones.

Together we savored the gifts of the sea,

absorbed the gentle breaking of surf,

the calling of one bird to another,

and the quiet affirmation of a shared glance, a look that speaks volumes, without words.