Eleven years ago, I submitted an art journal I created to the newly established The Sketchbook Library Project in Brooklyn, NY. Recently, the library changed locations from Brooklyn to Florida, and in the process, there was a fire that destroyed a small portion of the sketchbook collection. Fortunately, most survived, including mine. I decided that it was time for my book to come home.
The topic I chose for my book was one of three options- I chose The View from Up Here. Two pages of the leather-bound moleskin were dedicated to what I had experienced, having recently moved to rural Fulks Run from suburbia. I thought I would share that here.
“The “View from Up Here” is one of peace and tranquility. Something that is simple as black and white, is not always. I am a country girl wanna be who got to be. A dream fulfilled, but a whole new lifestyle adopted. To assimilate into this dream world has not always been easy, but has always been interesting. The peace and tranquility seen is not always felt within. A work in progress, filling the empty nest with new ideas, and art-full thoughts, brings peace some days, and anxiety others.
To try to bring the view from up here to others with more that just words and Kodak moments, has been challenging at best. Life, death, open skies and dark nights, back to nature, small town values and history, country neighbors, hard work, warm welcomes, warm hearts, generations of traditions, chicken farms, cows, seeing where our food really comes from. Dirt under the nails, a big orange tractor- a dream come true.
I get to see bats at dusk, turkeys marching across the field, deer showing up the same time like clockwork. All sorts of words that were new to me back then are familiar to me now. Round bales, Kubota, running the beagles, tracking bear, hunting season, the Brethren, Ruritan Club, making hay while the sun shines, Civil War re-enactors, rain/drought, snow/heat, flies, lady bugs, stink bugs, all types of snakes, black powder, crossbow, tannerite, “everything but the squeal”, tree stand.”
I am happy to experience bluebirds, barn swallows, cowbirds, red tail hawk, sparrow hawks, owls, buzzards, kildeer, real deer, red and gray fox, coyote, spiders of all kinds, black snake, black racer, hognose, garter, hummingbirds, toads, bullfrogs, peepers, woodpeckers, kingfishers, herons, skunks, possums, squirrels, groundhogs, nuthatch, titmouse, feral cats, barn cats, butterflies and bunnies. And so much more.
It was fun to look back on my perspective 11 years ago compared to now.
But, more than that, it was great to have my silly little book back from its time in Brooklyn.
As the weather is finally admitting it is time for spring, I hope everyone is enjoying getting outside, planting, and just being happy winter is over!
All is well at Mountain Meadows this warm, sunny day….
