Moved in January 3rd and have been moving since then. We headed to Bay St. Louis that evening to see Charlie Mabry’s show at Smith & Lens. Each day i bring Wilbur on long walks since he no longer has his yard to laze in. We have been under the oaks, in the marsh lows, down Henley to Gulf Islands National Seashore. We are looking always for creatures, walking on beaches, looking into the trees and brambles.
There were six pelicans floating in old fort bayou. They were drifting on their perfect morning, going where the water brought them. Living for providence, as Walter Anderson might suggest. Been studying Anderson. Tentatively saving the third or fourth trip to the museum, the first for the year, as a treat, as a secret weapon for a worried heart.
Trying to keep my eyes very open. “To be in a constant state of applause.” The light in this old house, older church, oldest land, is beautiful. It is a cave and a cathedral. It was a bayou and a balcony all together.
Anderson had advised, “The actual process studying and understanding the working of a natural design law, opens of a world of new ideas and free the mind for real creation.”
This must be true.
There have been early quiet mornings, the fog never quite laid on. Early. We ran down government street, to the green house, to the beach. We ran to the seashore and all of its marshes, gently & patiently tiding and feeding all of it’s creatures.
We saw a blue heron stalking the water, his winter coat hunched on his shoulders, our gulf coast & old man winter.
I have already called this place home.
I can’t promise anything after this, any regularity, anything, really. I am hoping to grow & create but it is taking a little nesting, and the idea of failing after all of this support is perhaps the highest rung of a very tall ladder.
The first real painting of 2020 hasn’t happened yet. Maybe it needs to just-be-done, but i want it to be a mile marker like 2019’s first, the hawk.
Hopeful you will enjoy these photos of Twelve Oaks. Looking to learn the land more, more-better. It seems the land changes, the trails shift & open & change the more i go to them. We go daily.
(Used to think i was really quite the photographer but i think i’ve gotten pedantic, and that’s ok, too.)
