Finding Joy

Joy is a necklace created with a simple charm flowing with garnets. Thinking about the holidays and yet drawn to the tranquility and color of the pearls, I started with the charm and the pearls. A week later, the green turquoise was added as well as the stream of pearls. Today, I added the gold crimp bead covers and a     gold s-hook clasp. Joy is around my neck until she is purchased or traded.

 There are moments on a day just like this fall day, when joy comes to call. She came after listening to the voices of my Artisan Sisters on our conference call. I gave myself permission to go outside in the sunshine to sit and simply reflect. That lasted, well, not very long as I tend to try like to Alice in Wonderland to do many things. Watching the birds fly into their nests inside the woods, I decided to gather the last of the lavender buds. While going among each plant, joy again came. Just to be outside in the mountains on a sunny day in September is a wonderful moment.

 The woven basket filled with lavender. The lavender filled basket sits behind me in the studio ready to be tied with ribbons. I will let them dry before I make lavender sachet/sleep pillows.

The small statue of St. Francis sits at the corner of the raised bed garden. Nasturtiums dropping their seeds gather around the statue worn with many years of mountain weather. He will watch over the garlic newly planted to be harvested in the spring.