“The imagination needs moodling – long, inefficient happy idling, dawdling and puttering.” – Brenda Ueland

It’s been a summer full of output- focussing on my art and my craft and networking and planning.  It’s been a summer of confronting my fears, of slowly starting to focus on loss, and of walking to my independence.  I’m 48 but feel so naive and young.  But also worldly, weary, old.  It’s a fine combo, I suppose.  But all this output can lead to burnout if it isn’t balanced.  A simple trip to Fort Langley (a tradition with my brother and sister-in-law) rejuvenated me yesterday.  The tender joy of looking at antiques and trinkets soothed me.  And there were gems- some I left, some I purchased.  I love my bag of buttons, my Norman Rockwell Behind the Camera book (perfect for Graphic Novel study), my vintage 100% cashmere Scottish mini-blanket/scarf, and my two little rubber squeak toys (British 60’s boys)…  And my vintage Canadian 1940’s coloring books- which will be used in my Graphic Novel.  This trip was the first time I took photos of the weird and marvelous knickknacks I adore.  It was a simple replenishing lovely day.  Can’t wait to go back.

Healing tip: collect buttons.  Lots of them.  Keep them in a bucket.  Run your hands through them.  Enjoy the sound they make, the feel on your hands and fingers.  Sort them by color, style, shape, material.  Throw them all back in the bucket.