Spring is Bursting into Summer

Flowering trees fill the air with fragrance and delight the eyes

 Bridal Wreath Spirea

A bridal wreath grew near our house when I was growing up in 

Sleepy Eye, Minnesota.  I found this beauty on my walk in 

the neighborhood this spring. It's blooms are overflowing with promise.

 Inside the Iris

It smells like grape.

Such beautiful symmetry inside the flower.

 White bleeding hearts

 Pink bleeding hearts

 Ferns and violets

Clematis coming into their glory in my friend's garden.

Lilacs--one of my favorite fragrances

Tulips Life Cycle

May 1, 2020, the tulips are beginning to bloom in my yard.  Not much else is green yet.

About a week later, there were frost warnings.  I decided to bring in some tulips to enjoy before the frost whisk them away.  Look at the beautiful black and yellow faces inside the tulips.

As they dried and the petals fell off the stems, their colors intensified and they made beautiful shapes before composting back into the garden.  Thank you tulips for all this beauty.

The World is Quiet; the Flowers Bloom

This little six inch woodland jack in the pulpit lives in my neighbor's garden down the street from me.  She give me hope.

These multi-toned tulips live on Hamilton Street and shine brightly in their soft colors when I walk by.

Tulips and daffodils have no worries.

Here are some beauties from my yard before all the wildflowers come into their glory. The bi-colored tulips are intentionally in focus while the area around them is soft.  I'm playing with the attention the eye goes to with the flowers and also to see deep into the throat of the red/yellow tulips.

 Daffodils seem a little shy, from Sharon's garden at Wiscoy.

Midland shooting star

The early spring flowers remind us to be in this moment.  This is all we have.  Hope is in this moment.  Take a breath, enjoy the flowers and this moment.

Thoughts and Musings in this Time

As I reflect on all the things that I love to do and share, a great realization that many of my posts are about the beauty of people and friends gathering.  I've felt a deep grief for all of these loves of my life needing to do social distancing or being on a pause for a time.  Farmer's Markets, theatres and live performances, getting together with friends, and teaching children in schools are just a few.

I get to have these feelings and I'm learning how to have another way to think about this time: a re- frame my thinking.

Some additional powerful language:

Let's be compassionate with ourselves and one another.  Let's show kindness to all beings.   And when we need to reach out to others for support, go after that support.  Let's trust in ourselves and one another. Let's remind ourselves that this will pass and we'll come out stronger together.

Walks to see Water

Moving my body, getting fresh air, feeling good--all to find some balance in these times of the Corona virus. Here are some images of water walks to Lake Winona and the Mississippi River. I took these photographs a few weeks ago when the ice was almost melted and open water was dancing.

The transparent ice parts are dancing in the waves on Lake Winona.

Seagulls sitting on the ice ledge on Lake Winona with open water in the background.

Mississippi River--misty morning.

Clear and sunny day on the Mississippi--still a bit of ice along the bank.

Sunny walks are my favorite.  I'm finding pleasure in the foggy or cloudy day walks as well.  I bring along a pod cast for listening pleasure or a spoken word story and I'm on my way taking in the beauty of the waters around Winona.  I feel blessed.

Making Art in a Time of Shift

Dream and Trust Close up

A few months ago, a friend and I were talking about getting some artists together to talk about their art and spur us on with inspiration and support.  It took a bit to gather and we began meeting at my house every 5 weeks or so.  It was inspiring to hear about so many different ways these women were creating.  The group gathering was "Let's Talk Art."

My desire was to motivate myself and give me a nudge when I was feeling unsure or tentative with my fiber/mixed media art.  And it worked.  One piece that I had such angst over came to completion. Then another.

I'm not sure, if I'm on a roll.  I'm very happy when I'm making art.  So I'm going for pleasure in my art making; similar to my movement practice Nia dancing.

Our group is on a pause, due to the need to Stay at Home and two of our members very busy with on-line teaching with their University classes.  We may connect via Zoom. 














"Experience..."
I'm very glad to have the sharing of these amazing artists.  It reminds me to ask for a little help from your friends.  See more of what I've been working on in the gallery.

The Flyway Trail

The Flyway Trail will connect Winona to Wisconsin and will eventually hook up with the Sparta Elroy Trail.  A huge bridge is being built to take bikers and walkers over the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks.

I took a walk on March 24, 2020 to take a look at how the work was going on the bridge.  It creates exciting possibilities to link Winona and Wisconsin river towns such as Fountain City, Cochran, and Alma as well as the Wisconsin Wildlife Refuge.

A look under the bridge.

Take a look at a video about the Flyway Trail and learn more about the project and how you can get involved.  Exciting things are coming to Winona and our area!