Hello, Subscriber First Name,

I wasn’t going to send a mid-month note, in part because I was supposed to be away this weekend, but I figured maybe you, like me, need a bit of a pick-me-up. It’s been a doozy of a month over here and I’m craving sunshine. Literal and figurative. And if there are too many clouds, I’m determined to make some of my own.

No matter what’s going on in your life right now, I want to invite you to spend a little time nurturing yourself today. Maybe you need physical nurturing — yoga, a soothing cup of tea, a special meal. Maybe emotional nurturing with quiet time watching the birds, escaping into a good book or savoring a few poems. Maybe creative nurturing — cutting and arranging some flowers, scribbling in your sketchbook, painting swatches of color.

Sometimes this can begin to feel like adding one more to-do to your list, making it even harder to prioritize. If so, just make it easy. Keep your yoga mat, art supplies and poetry books nearby. Create little rituals and routines around the ways in which you connect with nature.

And when the road gets bumpy, keep holding onto your beautiful dreams.

Some inspiration:

• In a recent note, Jennifer Curie shares some beautiful thoughts about ebbs and flows of energy and creativity, reminding us that detours and delays aren’t failure.

• And in a new podcast, Laura Horn shares her own recent struggle with health issues keeping her from creating.

• Yesterday two artists shared art and thoughts about dandelions. Kim sees them as a reminder to dream. And Molly shared how the plant became a companion and healer for her.

• I’m a little more than half-way through Patti Callahan Henry’s The Secret Book of Flora Lea and am enjoying savoring it slowly. A beautiful escape.

• I’m looking forward to spending time with The Inspired Garden by Judy Paolini and Nancy Trueworthy. It features 24 artists and their gardens. (I wanted to find a good link to the book, perhaps from one of the authors or the publisher, Down East, but the book is too old. I did stumble upon this unrelated interesting art show about art inspired by gardens).

• I keep coming back to this yoga sequence, even on days when I don’t have a headache. If you hold tension in your neck and shoulders, you’ll find it very soothing.

That’s all for today, my friend. Take good care of yourself.

Until next time, wishing you joy,

P.S. Now that I’m back from my blogging break and getting into a rhythm with my business, I’ve turned back on the paid option on Substack. Paid subscribers will be getting an extra post from me each month. These posts will bit more intimate and behind-the-scenes. I’m not going to plan it out too much to begin with. I want these pieces to evolve organically over time. And to be something that will inspire and encourage you. More views of my gardens. More glimpses of my sketchbooks. Some creative prompts and project ideas. Maybe some videos.

There’s absolutely no pressure to subscribe. Either way, I’m so grateful for your encouragement and support.

P.P.S. Thanks so much for your enthusiasm for my tiny book idea. I’m working on a prototype and playing around with different possibilities. It’s a good reminder for me not to rush the process. Maybe you need a reminder, too? 💚

Hi, I'm Anne Butera, the artist behind My Giant Strawberry. 

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