Just sitting is the gift I gave myself

So I did it on my birthday, packed up my backpack with some Breakfast/lunch goodies and my sketchbook, all the regalia with that. My husband was thrilled to lend me his Motorcycle fold up chair he uses when he does an over-nighter some where.. he was so cute..."Here I have just the think for you," as I was telling him what I wanted to do.

I circled the day before trying to figure that all out...didn't want to be in traffic or sit on the train to go to a museum, though it would have been good, always get filled up there. I just wanted something simpler or needed to address something closer to nature.

As I began my walk, I got up past the switch backs of the trail and there they were, a Doe and Twins.

Camera phone image....with glasses off so I'm a bit blurry with the shot...excuses I know well doing the best I can. The Doe was aware of me for sure and she was protective in a way of urgency to get moving out. The twins didn't really get it but followed here...jumping or shall I say "Springing up and down all over the place"

I fumble the phone around a bit and hit the button to shot this little video, and a over whelming feeling of a special gift flooded my heart and welled up my eyes....darn I say the good orderly direction guided me to do this all today and her's you present, my dear...I was in awe as the trailed off...trying to capture more of them but they were quickly gone in the brush. 

Medicine of the deer is to move gently, steady with caution and in quietness always being aware, use all you senses. 

I walk in a circle around 50 acres of woods and prairie, and as I came to the low lands there I see this one along the side of the path... Wasn't sure what kind of turtle she was but with that long tail I didn't thing it was a painted etc.   as I came closer to take a look it ducked it head in but it did have along neck...so my thoughts about this were right...a common snapping turtle. 

 Image from internet. 

At this point I was in awe and felt honored to be witnessing this all.

Last night after a nice dinner with the husband we came home and I just wanted to read...so he went off on his bike to chat with his friend Mike and I finished this book.  Now I've never done anything like Cheryl Strayed as to travel by foot the Pacific Crest Trail but I did feel adventure with my birthday...Great book by the way...recommend it.

As I walked around doing my walk,  I spotted place that I wanted to sit and be amerced in green all the way around. Hope I would find a place not in the center of Poison Ivy...I was able to do that and I was hungry and pulled out my hard boiled eggs and my blueberries and sat and looked around.  My first reaction is my studio is on the second floor of my home and how I do love it...the sounds of birds and the trees...I also had a bit of an awakening...I'm a wind watcher,  person how love to see how the wind moves throw things. You don't see the wind as much as you see the evidence of it's presences.  That's another reason I enjoy my studio space I can see that out the big windows....something special.

 A big mushroom on the side of the path.... from memory.

 With all the green around me I opened my Nat Geo magazine and pulled what every was green and just sat and glued...

 then with some time I pulled out other magazine pages and did this one...I went a bit crazy with the marker I brought, and then I covered it...but the back ground paper with the circles all ready had it going in magazine...

Then I turned the page and with the marker I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds and made marks to here I heard the sounds and the intensity of the sounds....when I opened my eyes I saw a beginning of a Kandinsky,  I could see these space or area with color too...how the sounds of the woods had a song all it's own. Not exactly sure he did that but I heard he had a theory about it. 

So one might think, artist, sketchbook...lets see some stuff from you... I have to say when I sat down out there and pulled out my bag of tricks....I questioned what I was going to do...your here lady, what are you going to create.  At that point I had to let go and not worry or fret about what was going to come out...the point of this all was to begin and bring this idea/good intention for myself to light.

To myself on my birthday I gave myself an artist date and time in the woods and pretended and day dreamed and watched the wind...all my favorite things to do...Also one of the most important lessons I learned was to be present, and just be...I'm always circling in my thoughts and moving forward on the next project or things to do. Just sitting what the biggest gift I gave myself.