A Visual Journal

I love the promise of spring.  It's been such a mild winter and this past week has been so warm I have been out in it as much as I can.  Officially, the First Day of Spring (Spring Equinox) is on Tuesday, March 20, 2012.  But I'm here to say it has arrived early and I, for one, am all the happier to see it!!

Every spring brings with it the promise of renewal.  On my walk yesterday I was noticing all the tender buds in the understory that could still be damaged by cold temperatures.  They push forth and take the risk.  Sometimes warm temps coax them out early and they are bitten by frost.  I've lost a whole "crop" of lilac blooms to a cold snap!  That, to me, is a tragedy!

While walking and contemplating spring buds, my mind wandered to my best friend's daughter.  Missy is a very talented young woman I had the privilege to nurture in her art when I still lived close. I wondered as I walked that day if she still had the time and energy to do her own work.  An artist's work, you know?  The art that makes an artist happy, like a spring day--new each time full and of promise!  The art with all the possibilities and newness of the spring.  So I asked her if she found much time for it.  Of course, she doesn't.  Life is full and busy.  But in my head I knew I had to encourage her--heck-I have to encourage me-to do what is such a part of me but so easy to set aside.  So I asked her if she'd like to do a sketch a day journal with me this year.  She agreed and we started a yearly visual journal to sketch a small sketch each day.  Not a "have to" thing.  More like a place to nurture that part of ourselves.  A simple act to reinforce who we are and what we love. 

So here we go on a year long journey.  Daily short trips to ourselves. I'm excited!  Thanks for walking with me for the year Missy!