A Quiet Awakening
photo courtesy of Jeanne Long
One of my resolutions in the new year is to slow down and be aware. That applies to day to day activities, as well as the quiet moments: being aware of my surroundings. There’s so much to enjoy, but you have to notice it first. If you live in the Twin Cities, a good bit of inspiration can be found at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The Long Zoom is an exhibit that celebrates the seasons from up close and from the long view: kind of macro/micro.
Jeanne Long (my aunt, and source of much of my artistic inspiration, by the way) is the “macro” artist and her watercolor landscapes are enchanting. I love how the light just glows from behind the trees in her painting “A Quiet Awakening” above. (Check out “Afternoon Shadows” on the exhibit’s web page. Love!) Sandra Muzzy is the “micro” artist and I so would like to see her feathers and nests in person so I can appreciate the details.
The exhibit opens today and runs through March 29, but on February 8 there’s a special event where you can meet the artists and learn their tips for keeping a nature journal. Hmmmm, how can I finagle a free weekend during indoor soccer season? Learn more here.
For more from Jeanne, click here. And for Sandra, click here. Lots and lots of lovely inspiration.
And if you’re now smitten with nature journals, have you seen this new blog? In Heywood’s Meadow has me thinking about the outdoors all of the time since it launched, which is quite a feat in early January. Be sure to see the latest entry, a peek inside one artist’s journal …..
photo from marthastewartweddings.com
Hooray! The link to these adorable escort cards, created by Brooke Reynolds at Inchmark and featured in the new/Winter issue of Martha Stewart Weddings, finally works! This wedding was my favorite ….. definitely a “clip and save”. Can’t wait to see more stationery from Brooke as I just love her blog.
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photo from blog-vdj.blogspot.com
I would really like to try this somewhere in my house next year. So simple + festive.
via le vestiaire de jeanne
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photo from style.com
photo from style.com
I spent part of my break catching up on favorite blogs. It was nice to have the time to read them more carefully. For example, while reading Snippet & Ink’s “favorites” posts, I discovered a lovely dress by Victoria Beckham (top photo), which led me to her spring collection at style.com. These two options are especially nice + classic. See the full collection at style.com.
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I received Mark Bittman’s new book for Christmas and read it over break. It inspired me to make small changes to our family’s diet. My goal is to reduce our consumption of processed foods as well as add more fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible. Oh, and become mindful of our meat consumption. (It’s a great book, by the way: short but helpful and includes recipes!)
So there is really no explanation for the cinnamon roll I picked up at Starbucks, pictured above. Except that it looked delicious. And it was.
And this “diet” is not about avoiding things, just being aware, so no harm, as long as it doesn’t become a habit.
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