When I first stepped into my studio this morning, frost glittered on the deck out the sliding doors, the light pale as the sun cleared the tops of the trees on the hill behind our house.

Last month I wrote about my love of houseplants, how they inspire my art and help me get through our Wisconsin winters.

Putting together that post was so much fun and although I was already enjoying tending my plants, it sparked a renewed obsession

Every time I went into the kitchen this week, I visited spring.

My baby* Hoya lacunosa is blooming on a shelf above the sink.

Some projects live in my head for a very long time before I get around to bringing them into the world. Painting a series of “barn” quilts for my house and garden is one of those projects.

Last week I mentioned how books are one of the ways I make it through the winter. And over the years I’ve shared books here on my blog again and again.

I spent Monday in my garden. Mondays are technically the weekend for me and I was so glad my time off coincided with good weather.

Wednesday morning I woke up and checked the temperature. Negative 19 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of negative thirty-two. It was our second day in a row of bitter cold.

Sun streams in through the window and I curl up on a comfy chair in my studio, a book balanced on my lap.

Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

In reality…

When I was 16, a newly-minted driver’s license in my wallet, where did I go on my first solo drive?

In our interview last week, Laura Ashton mentioned being inspired by the books of Edith Holden. Today I wanted to share some of the books that have inspired me on my creative journey.

How are you holding up? What a week it’s been over here. You, too?

My feelings are up and down. My energy is up and down. I’m giving myself leeway and taking things one day (sometimes one moment) at a time. It’s all we can do, I think.

Escaping into the world of a book always seems to help.