Sharing the joy of friendship and the small finds that make me smile

Actual tree found in the Pine Hill Cemetery, Cheboygan, Michigan.  Residents refer to  it as "the scary tree".

Sometimes the thing you need the most is the very thing you avoid, why is that?

 

It was an exciting week as I had the opportunity to meet a fellow blogger, Sarah over at Paisley Rain Boots.  We spent the day taking photos together on her side of the state.  Please take a moment and read her story HERE. What I discovered is while we are all blogging friends here in this cyber world, that friendship easily extends into the real world when we have the opportunity to meet. As Sarah and I spent the day together, walking, snapping photos, and sharing stories, it felt like we were old friends.  This is something I want to find more time for.

I have been in a creative slump as of late… putting effort into getting it back, not forcing it, simply pushing gently.  Organizing, finding inspiration in different places, simply showing up every morning creating something.  But while my art seems to have taken a pause, my photography has picked up.  I've had so many wonderful opportunities to get out and photograph in the last few weeks.   

I found this wonderful antique tea kettle at a local flea market.  My grandmother had a similar one always sitting on the wood burning cook stove on the farm.  Isn't it funny how something so simple can bring a flood of warm memories... I smile every time I see it sitting on my rather modern stove top.  The mug is from Fair Trade, purchased while wandering around downtown Holland, Michigan. I am one of those coffee drinkers that is always on the look out for a new , fun mug to enjoy my morning cuppa of joe.

I found these wonderful treasures at Chronicle Books.   The journals are the perfect size and weight for art journals.  I couldn't resist the box of postcards.  Beautiful illustrations of anatomy, botany, zoology and other sciency things  They appeal to both the science teacher and artist in me.  

Sharing my small joys and finds with Kim Klassen’s Friday Finds.