apr '25 favorites
Small things that made my April just a little bit better.
creating
If you’ve been following along for any length of time you might have picked up on the fact that I love old books. For the Art Walk a few months ago I created collages on canvas using old book parts, text, and paint. Recently I made something similar in my art journal. You can watch the process here.
eating
I thought I’d share this very simple charcuterie that I pulled (or maybe threw) together for Easter. I hadn’t planned to share it publicly when I took this photo, but as luck would have it, I have no recipe to offer up this month. I love a charcuterie for the simple fact that you can use what you have, whether three items or twenty. Fancy or not. The basic options include: a board, plate, or tray with any variation of cheese, salami, and crackers. Fancy Options might include but are not limited to: nuts, fruit, veggies, berries, dried fruit, cornichons, olives, fig jam, or tapenade. The possibilities are endless. For more ideas, read or watch.
The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.
—Dieter F. Uchtdorf
reading
I was gifted this book, Foster by Claire Keegan from my friend, Cassandra. A kindred reader who has known me since grade school. This story contains kindness and love, although weighted with sadness, it is sprinkled throughout with pinpricks of hope. It is a story that can’t be kept at arm’s length, wrapping itself around you tenderly.
inspiring artist
Agnes Martin was a Canadian-born abstract artist who was more athlete than artist in her youth, she barely missed qualifying for the 1932 Olympics in swimming. Agnes discovered art in her 30’s and was devoted from the get-go, completing a Master’s degree in Modern Art. Although Agnes achieved material success selling many of her paintings, her mental health continued to deteriorate. She found inner peace in her art, painting avidly throughout her life, until her death in 2004.
After studying her art, I chose to recreate, in my own style, her 1957 piece titled “Desert Rain” which sold in 2003 for $95,000. Learn more about Agnes here.
Art work is a representation of our devotion to life.
—Agnes Martin
following
YouTube: Jane Davies, an artist I have followed for years.
Pinterest: Jeanne Oliver, a favorite artist. I love her art, style, home, faith, and personality.
Instagram: Aimee Bishop, an artist who has a loose, free style. I have taken a class from her as well.
enjoying
I was thrilled when cousin Anne asked if I would be interested in attending Melinda French Gates’ live book tour event with her. (Have I mentioned before that I love books and authors?)
Over dinner before the event, we both confessed that despite our best intentions, neither one of us had read her recent book, The Next Day. We hoped we wouldn’t be chasing clouds trying to figure out what she would be discussing that night.
Thankfully, we had no need for worry. Prior book knowledge wasn’t necessary. The event was a casual interview-style format with Reese Witherspoon as host. It felt like overhearing two friends chat about life. A glimpse behind the curtain.
Afterwards, we walked out into the rare warm Seattle spring night, reflecting on what an inspiration Melinda continues to be despite many of her life challenges. We also chatted briefly about her earlier book, Moment of Lift, which powerfully impacted us both. As you can tell, we never have enough time to fit in all the conversations.
You don’t get to be my age without navigating all kinds of transitions. Some you embraced and some you never expected. Some you hoped for and some you fought as hard as you could.
—Melinda French Gates
forest bathing
Lounging on the deck in the shade of the redwoods, I remarked to my friend Coleen what a luxury it was to forest bathe like this. She looked at me quizzically like, “What kind of crazy talk is that?” I promised her that forest bathing is a real thing. Pulling that phrase out of the deep recesses of my mind is a testament to the restorative benefits of such a thing. Then nostalgia kicked in and I began to reminisce about my childhood spent living in an old-growth forest in the Oregon Coast Range, where we certainly never knew of anything so decadent as forest bathing.
Read more about Japanese Forest Bathing here.
growing
My two rhubarb plants with their mammoth elephant ear leaves are on track for their most prolific yield ever. I cannot fathom, nor do I have the desire to search for the wide range of recipes required to use this amount of rhubarb. A robust harvest means every visitor goes home with a handful. Be warned.
Learn more about growing rhubarb here. Just a heads up—you really can’t kill it, so plant wisely. Ask me how I know.
Going to the woods is going home.
—John Muir
sightseeing
Arriving in Capitola (CA) on a beautiful spring morning my friend Coleen and I enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Gayle’s Bakery. From there, we headed to the beach to bask in the sun and watch the surfers. From a distance, I could see these adorable sherbert colored bungalows seemingly perched on the edge of the beach. A prism of happy color for over 100 years.
painting
There is more than one way to paint. Lest you think I am a one-dimensional painter, I include interior house painting in my repertoire. This might not be my favorite form of creativity, but it is satisfying. Fresh and clean. No deliberating or dilly-dallying about, “is this finished, good enough, etc?”. And you might be wondering, “Did this really make my month better?”. Why, yes, yes indeed it did. My daughter’s room makeover has been on our to-do list since January. Something she has pointed out to me every day since. Note to self: do not add a task to your list until seriously ready to begin.
The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.
—Dolly Parton
I’m curious, what’s on your list of favorites?
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