Birds bees and hedgehogs
The little things that help us get through difficulties
I woke up thinking about one of my favorite quotes by Marcus Aurelius. “Whenever you arise in the morning unwillingly remember that you arise lucky to be alive and able to breathe, able to think, to love and enjoy.” That was what I remembered as I lay in bed preparing to get up. I realized after getting up and looking up the quote that I didn't remember it accurately (a search will give you the correct quote from Marcus Aurelius) but I enjoyed my version. That led me to thoughts about the comforts to be had by having quotes and poems, bits of music and stories readily in mind even if imperfectly recalled. So I wrote and did this drawing during breakfast.
I drew and painted the birds because there were a number of them that I could see in the yard from the kitchen window as I made coffee.
And as I took the above photo of my sketchbook page my wife
took this photo of me.
Another morning I was aware of the birds again and since it's gotten colder here in the Pacific Northwest I thought about the resilience and endurance of the tiny birds. I also thought about the resilience of humans and so I wrote and drew this in my sketchbook.
In another newsletter I'd shared a painting I did titled “The Bee's Knees” and some friends asked me to make it into a greeting card. So I did. It's available here. Getting a card in the mail is the bees knees.
Another newsletter recently had a helpful hedgehog in it and some friends asked me to make that art into a coffee mug. So I did. You can find it here.
My handwritten text on the mug says “during difficulties look for a helpful hedgehog they probably have coffee”.
If you wonder why I draw, paint and read so much or why I make books and cards and mugs for my friends my reasons are summed up in two quotes I have thumbtacked to my studio wall … here's a photo so that I share the quotes correctly.
Basically it's because of love!
I hope you're able to get a quote, a bit of music or something pleasant to fortify your resilience today!
You are loved! 💚
I love this whole thing but especially the hedgehog and the two quotes on your wall! Yes yes yes.
I love the chipper little birds and the two quotes on your wall! The quote on my study wall is "As long as one writes, ruin is averted. It doesn't all slip away." (Gunther Kunert)