Nesting

I've discovered a similarity between

Bowerbirds,

those fascinatingly compulsive artists of the bird world

and

pregnant women.

Or, at least,

obsessively-creative-and-due-in-a-week

pregnant women.

Here are pictures of my nest:

Art includes a few of my watercolors

and an original from my brother Jesse Joshua Watson on the far wall.

I found the crib second-hand and "aged" it

with crayons to blend in the scratches.

Ribbon scrap mobiles for "Sugar Snack"

and his newly arriving sister

Baby booties fashioned from old clothes

Bulletin boards for "Sugar Snack" and his new roommate

The nest is feathered,

my blog fingers are at low tide

as I wait

to meet

baby Pray...

First Drafts

Sugar Snack finally made it through an art session

without eating crayons.

His sheer delight at his first masterpiece

reminds me

of how joyful it is to create.

Take a first draft, for example:

it's buoyed with hope,

unencumbered by revision slogging,

a fresh treasure chest of untapped potential.

I often find myself smiling

while scribbling at new sketches

or a new project.

We are made for this,

to leave a sparkling trail of creation behind us,

jewels of ourselves,

beauty for the world.

What accomplishments give you joy?

a beautiful meal, new sketches,

a clever light bulb moment,

seeds planted

... ?