The 100-day art project began on February 22nd. Although I haven’t posted much of my art on social media, I have been doing something artistic each day to continue the project. In today’s post, as well as a few follow-up posts, I will share what I have been doing, day by day, as part of my own 100-day art project.
February 22nd: This was the day that I traveled with three friends to Florida. I took photographs during the flight of the night sky, and I wrote a haiku. There is no connection between the two.
The day’s haiku was all about winter sowing, which is a workshop I went to prior to going to Florida. The purpose of winter sowing is to get seeds started during the winter in containers, such as gallon-sized milk jugs, that act as miniature greenhouses. By using that technique, I planted two types of seeds in two separate milk jugs. They are currently sitting out in the courtyard. The last time I checked, nothing had germinated, but I will check them again soon to see if there is any progress. I’ve also planted seeds with another gardener, Anna, and they are in tiny pots inside in a windowsill. The last time I checked, which was earlier today, I saw that plants in two of the pots had germinated, which made me really happy.
It is true that the small things can bring about the most happiness.
So, here is the haiku about the planting project:
Plant seeds in milk jugs
Basic tiny greenhouses
soaking rainwater
February 23rd: My friends and I went on a tour in Sawgrass Lake Park in St. Petersburg. It was so much fun. I saw a huge variety of birds, as well as a few alligators that looked like they were in a food coma.
Calm alligator
far from mad swirling snowfall
windy Florida
February 24th: We went to the beach, where we saw seashells galore. We love seashells and can’t get enough of them. They are beautiful and they represent the power of the sea. They bring good luck, protection, and fertility. Unfortunately, sometimes, they are crushed. But crushed seashells eventually become a component of sand, and the white sand of beaches in and around St. Petersburg is gorgeous.
Shards of broken shells
pummeled by incoming tides
birds bounce over waves.
February 25th. We went to Jungle Prada in St. Petersburg. It is the home of indigenous Tocabaga mounds and the landing site of the historic Narvaez expedition. Jungle Prada is on the National Register of Historic Sites. One of the interesting things about Jungle Prada is the number of peacocks that live there. They walk everywhere and aren’t shy, which means that they are good at posing for photographs.
Colorful tail
more shiny than a bride’s train
peacock’s pride and joy
February 26th: What is under that white sand? Could it be delicious? An enquiring white ibis mind wants to know.
Something is hidden
under the glowing white sand
I want to taste it
February 27th. It was time to bid Florida farewell and return home to winter and family and friends… and the reality of the world. The Florida adventure had been a sweet escape, a wonderful interlude. The world, however, didn’t stop spinning without us, and it was time to return to it. I spent all of the airplane flight either looking out the window or reading “The Valley of Amazement,” by Amy Tan. I love books. They are a great way to enter a different world and explore life in a different time and place. Stories truly bring the magic and, in a book format, you can be engrossed in the magic for hours.
View from a window
as thick clouds floated by me
sunbeams in my eyes
Tomorrow: I will continue sharing photographs and poems and an ink drawing from the continuing 100-day art project.
