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Happy July!

I no longer have the rose on this month’s calendar page, but I’ve been enjoying The Poet’s Wife’s flowers for much of June and now into July.

My garden is a constant source of joy these days (if you missed my June garden tour, you can catch up here).

Before I sat down to write to you, I walked through it collecting colors and scents and tastes, listening to the birds and brushing my hand against leaves.

Each walk through my garden I notice something new. Each walk helps me to slow down, to be present.

My purple poppies started blooming this past week.

They’re some of my favorite flowers and their arrival is yet another sign that summer is here.

If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ve probably seen them blooming in my garden each year (and if you’re a customer, you might even have found some seeds tucked into your package. Let me know if you have flowers! I’ll be collecting seeds and sharing them again this year, so stay tuned).

Today, I discovered the squirrel had left me a few cherries. I found a perfectly ripe strawberry. I caught the scent of the first sweet pea flowers of the season.

So much to discover. So much to savor. I hope you’re discovering and savoring, too.

In my last note I shared that I was painting in spite of the chaos of moving my studio from upstairs to down.

It wasn’t long before the chaos took over and my painting was temporarily tucked away.

Every task and project takes longer than I think it will. But it’s exciting and satisfying to see the space beginning to take shape.

It’s hard to be in what I call “the messy middle” — whether it’s with a project like this or a painting — but much of life takes place in the messy middle, doesn’t it?

Noticing each joy, each perfectly organized shelf, each newly blooming flower, brings beauty to even the messiest mess.

And knowing that even the messiest mess is only temporary helps, too.

If you’re in the messy middle, too, hang in there.

A creative prompt:

Clear the clutter.

I’ve been doing a lot of this lately (and making a bigger mess in the process). I tend to hide my clutter away. In drawers and closets.

Maybe you do, too?

Getting rid of what we no longer need, what we no longer can use or what’s broken, frees up space and energy. Clearing out the clutter helps us see the good stuff hidden underneath.

Some inspiration:

• Are you an art journaler? Do you make your own books? Submissions are open for the next issue of Strawberry Moon Magazine’s Ask the Art Journalers.

• I’m slowly working my way through the book Microjoys by Cyndie Spiegel. I think you might like it.

• I enjoyed a virtual visit to the Paint Fearless Exhibition featuring art from 10 artists.

• I love getting to visit Ramona’s garden. Her roses are so lovely and make me nostalgic for my old garden and all the beautiful roses I used to grow there.

• And if you love roses, take a look at Claus Dalby’s garden (I gasped when I saw his Alchemist!).

• Meg’s garden is amazing, too. If you live near the Twin Cities, she’s opening it up (along with 8 other nearby gardens) for tours as a fundraiser for the Master Gardener program.

• Although the purple poppies grow beautifully for me, I’ve never had much luck with oriental poppies. Hannah’s photos make me want to try again. Do you grow them? Have any tips?

• I would love to see this exhibition of art inspired and created by Kaffe Fassett.

A correction and some food for thought:

In my June mid-month letter, I shared Jessica Swift’s 100 Uplifting Days and mentioned that it was free. Some of you wrote to me, baffled because it really costs $19. (If you were one of the “some”, thanks for pointing it out).

Although I felt silly for not reading her website carefully enough before sharing with you, this also got me thinking. And I’m grateful for my mistake.

I’m glad that Jessica is charging for her offering.

Artists need to be paid for our work. Yes, we naturally want to share and inspire and spread beauty into the world, but if we’re running a business and our livelihood relies on our creativity, our time and our effort are valuable.

I’m not saying this to scold or shame (I’ve spent my entire life living with a budget and carefully considering how I spend my money), but it’s worth thinking about. And if you’re an artist, even if you’re not running a business, I hope you’ll remember that your time and your creative efforts are valuable.

There are so many ways of supporting and encouraging an artist (beyond simply buying something from them, though that is wonderful, too).

I share about other artists in these notes because I’ve been inspired by them and think you will be, too. It’s also my way of helping to support other artists.

That you’re reading these notes means a lot to me. Thanks so much for being here.

That’s all for now. I’m back off to the garden.

I hope July is a beautiful, inspiring and joyful month for you.

With gratitude,

P.S.

I didn’t take any photos of the scented geraniums I found at Olbrich Gardens, but I wanted to share this path into the herb garden (which I mentioned plans to visit in my blog). I love the collection of potted herbs leading you on your way. Don’t you?

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