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Notes from the Bower
July 2026 • Summer
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Dear Reader,
A steamy summer hello to you!
I always know summer is truly here when the cicadas are singing and the cottonwood fluff drifts through the sky all day long.
We celebrated the 4th of July in a big way. We'd braced ourselves for an especially uncomfortable day, weather-wise—and were instead blessed with the one-and-only truly pleasant day of the week! It was a wonderful day to be outside with family and friends, watching fireworks (my husband put on the most spectacular show, by the way). However you are spending your days, and whatever you are celebrating, I hope you're also enjoying some "lazy days of summer."
This month’s edition of Notes brings you:
- The Sky's Invitation — a summer reflection on cloud-gazing, wonder, and what the sky reflects back to us
- Notes from the Studio — wildflowers, gallery happenings, and a moment of beauty to look forward to mid-month
Wishing you lovely days to gaze at the clear blue sky, and an abundance of peace, joy, and beauty.
💛
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Notes from Nature: The Sky's Invitation
One of my earliest childhood memories is of a dozen hot air balloons, floating across a beautiful blue sky. I was awe-struck. I think I have loved the sky and its endless ever-changing variety ever since. Much of the nature we watch is slow in its changing from day to day, but the sky can change minute to minute. The sky has inspired a science report on clouds, the purchase of The Cloud Collector's Handbook, and countless hours throughout the years of sunset watching and cloud gazing. It serves as the stage for some of nature's most spectacular performances.
And so I think it was no surprise, on a recent retreat where I was especially disposed to simply be and receive, rather than do, that I found myself sitting near a window in my room, gazing up at the sky. It was that vibrant middle-of-the-day clear blue, with just the right number of pure white clouds scattered across it. Graceful and fluid, they drifted along, and I couldn't help but compare them to a dance—swirling together, floating apart, changing shape with complete freedom. Mesmerizing. I lost not only the sense of time, but also of space, and somewhere along the way, watching turned into experiencing. I felt immersed in the vastness of the sky, as though I myself were floating amongst the clouds. What a wonderfully expansive feeling, to be part of something so grand.
Eventually, my attention returned to the room, and when it did, that sense of expansiveness came with it—as though for a brief time I had been given a glimpse of the vastness of my soul.
The sky is a singular creature, unlike mountains, bodies of water, and stretches of land, which can be counted. One great, beautiful sky embracing each and every one of us. Ever present and silently inviting us each day to raise our gaze in awe, reflecting back to us a glimpse of the grandeur of what is within each of us. Something eternal. Something far greater and more beautiful than what we can fully comprehend...and yet something we are already a part of.
Step outside today, my friend, lift your gaze, and remember: you were created for the eternal.
If you have a literal minute and would like to enjoy a bit of sky-gazing—cicada soundtrack included—I have something for you here.
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“
There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul.
— Victor Hugo (from Les Misérables)
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Notes from the Studio: A Quiet Summer
The studio has been rather quiet these past weeks, as time has been filled with family and home, but it hasn't been without activity. I was finally able to frame a few charcoal pieces and drop them off at the Green Fox Gallery in Weston, where I also happily sold a few of my hand-painted journals. It's a real joy when they find a new home, and I love imagining them being filled with other people's thoughts and dreams.
Another A Moment of Beauty email was shared (which hopefully you enjoyed)! For those of you new to the Bower, during the 3rd week of the month I share a single nature photograph I've taken, to bring a bright moment to your day and an invitation to pause and receive! It's another small way of sharing the beauty I stumble into. Keep an eye out for the next one later this month.
And here and there, in the small pockets of quiet, I've played with walnut ink and water color, inspired as I so often am, by the flowers and plants I encounter. I'm particularly excited that the wildflowers and annuals we planted on our back hill in spring, have bloomed beautifully. I now have a pretty spectacular source of fresh flowers for subject matter to draw upon whenever I want, and I couldn't be happier about that!
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Welcome new friends!
Welcome back, returning friends!
I’m so grateful you are here. I always love hearing from you, so if something in this month’s Notes stirred your thoughts, please feel free to hit reply and share with me.
If you are new here, know that each month, I write the names of all new readers and place them in a prayer jar on my desk—a small reminder that connection matters, and that each person who enters The Bower is received with care.
May your days be filled with peace, joy, and abundance.
Thank you for being a part of this journey.
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💌
Enjoying this edition? Forward it to a friend!
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Notes from the Bower is published the second Wednesday of each month. The next edition is scheduled to arrive in your inbox August 12th. I’m looking forward to meeting you here again. Until then, wishing you much peace, joy, and beauty!
The Joyful Bower
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