GATHERING INSPIRATION on early morning walks with Ella

Ella and I gather stuff on our morning walks. She loves to pick up stones and sometimes she does not let go of one till we are home, releasing it softly on the living room floor. I find a rock here and there too, round and smooth. Or a fig leaf, a fig, from a tree down the street overhanging a neighbor's fence. Some woody fruit from a bush, a rusty thing...

We find deflated balls, abandon by children the afternoon before. Ella loves these balls. Because they are only half full of air, she can easily grab them and play with them, and oh she does, running in circles, releasing and catching, bringing the thing to me, begging to throw it for her. We always find yellow tennis balls which flew over the high wire of the court near the community swimming pool. 

I look for small pieces of old and used wood, I collect them too, and humbly paint on them. Old wood is full of character. I sand the paint down to do it justice.

I was not very creative for the last weeks. This morning I looked for some inspiration to fill my soul a bit. Nature is hot and dry and not too giving right now. But the hedges along the road succeed in struggling with the sun, and gave me a good armful of nice green branches to take home today.

Near a garbage bin a mother had put toys her children probably had outgrown or did not like any more, and this little wagon, completely intact caught my eye - I thought I could paint a picture on it, and home it went with us. And feathers, at every walk we find feathers, I have a whole feather collection already.

The best thing today was this branch, I have some good plan with it, and I am looking forward to execute what I have in mind.

Creativity can not be forced, this I learned. If there is an empty run of time, I let it pass. I know the artful forces of beauty and color will come back to me like old friends, I can rely on them, that is good and comforting.

Ella, of the species which is men's best friend...  :-)