Autumn is so so beautiful here in Pennsylvania.  The colors are amazing and the air is crisp.  It is truly fantastic.  The problem is that every year I start to gripe and moan about winter coming.  I look outside and I am overwhlemed by the beauty and then my frowny face appears and I think of the long cold months that are fast approaching.  I know, I know, it is so depressing, right?

The other day was gorgeous again and I did this same routine.  Breathed in all the beauty but then let the thought of gloomy winter take away all my happiness.  I realized I needed to make a change.  I mean, I can’t control winter coming, but I can start to appreciate what I have right now.  How to do this?  Create something of course!   Since I got such a kick out of making my hoop art, I decided to explore that path a little further and create something just for this moment.

This moment.  It is so fleeting and so elusive.  It almost feels silly to talk about it now since the moment passed 5 days ago when the kids and I made this sculpture.  One of my favorite authors, Brene Borwn, says the way to keep your joy is to stay present and just live there in the happiness and not let your mind start to dwell on all the bad things that could happen.  That is some deep stuff overly simplified but it is part of the story behind the “appreciation sculpture” I made with the kids in our backyard the other day.

You know what?  It really worked!  (For at least a few days haha!)  And it was fun too.  I have loved Andy Goldsworthy sculptures for many many years and he his work inspired us.  Have you ever seen River and Tides?  It is so beautiful and quiet.  Anywho, Andy Goldsworthy is a sculptor who uses natural things to create these crazy gravity defying sculptures.  The coolest thing about them, to me, is that they are often impermanent- like made of ice, sand, leaves, sticks, etc.  It really appeals to me that his sculpture is about the moment that you are creating and the end result is secondary.

WHA?  Not caring about the end result??  I have to admit, almost everything in my life is mostly about the end result- my sewing, caring for my children, cleaning up my house, working in my garden, even taking a run with the dog.  Yes- I enjoy parts of the process, but what I really enjoy is seeing what these things produce.

So, instead of homework and clean up and dinner making,  we had a wonderful time gathering things with bright colors and cool textures.  Yes, my kids fought and pushed and I yelled (only a little!) but that is all that is part of life, right?  After arranging leaves and gathering berries, and then taking things away and adding new colors and textures, we stood back and admired our creation.  And it was really cool!  We are not Andy Goldsworthy but I loved being inspired by him to create and get out of my shell a little.  And, look at these beautiful colors that autumn creates!  Maybe it’s not just about winter coming after all?

I hurried up to get photos before the wind picked up too much and it got too dark.  But after that, I walked away and haven’t been back in that spot in our yard since.  Although I did see the dog running around with beautiful mossy bark  and I saw some scattered japanese anenome flowers over by the swing set.   It was a moment that we made the most of by taking part in the creative process.  It filled us (especially me since kids are already pretty good at this whole concept, right?) up and now, I am more prepared to appreciate what I have to inspire me today and now.