“Stop and Smell” 16×16, oil on canvas

 We watched Pixar’s Soul last night. My favorite part was the little ordinary objects 22 stores in Joe’s pocket– a spool of thread, a pizza crust. How delighted she was by the ordinary. How frustrated I have been lately with the ordinary. 

Even as I type this, a mockingbird has landed on the empty bird bath outside my kitchen window. Even though a pane of glass separates us, we are close. I can see his pupils.  I paused to take it in and then resumed typing once he’d flown away– a gentle reminder that there is much to see, much to marvel at, even right here at this smudged glass table, in this kitchen with dirty floors marked by puppy feet. 

Today I am looking for beauty in the ordinary. I’m trying to see with fresh eyes a home I’ve spent so much time in lately, I’m beginning to not see it at all save for the imperfections. 

There’s another scene in Soul where Joe takes a very deep breath, pauses and looks out at the world from his front steps. That’s what I’m aiming for– “stop and smell the roses” and all of that. 

Today’s floral is part of a pair. The second one, already begun, takes on the same subject but with a completely different strategy. I’m going to take some deep breaths, do some birdwatching, and be ready to show it to you tomorrow 😉