Crescent Moon, Venus and Wren at the Break of Dawn

My son has always been a very early riser and usually wakes up to his own inner alarm clock before I do. But I think he must be entering the crazy growing phase of the preteen years and he is starting to sleep in a bit. The other morning I actually woke up before him and went to wake him up. I entered his dark room and opened up the curtains and blinds to gently wake him with natural light. But it was still darkish out and when I pulled up the blinds I was welcomed by the most beautiful sight- the slim crescent moon hanging low in the early morning sky and a very bright star beneath. My son woke up and I said, “Come look at how beautiful this is, that start is so bright!” And he sleepily replied, “That must be a planet”. And he was right, it turned out to be Venus.

When I went to open the other window, a little wren hopped onto the bare winter branches of the Crape Myrtle in front of our house. I just love Wrens and their happy energy. I watched him watching the world before him before he flitted away.

Later in the day I had a moment of time open up in the afternoon and I grabbed my watercolor pad and gouache set and sat down to capture these two quiet moments from my early morning.

I observe and remember in images and emotion. And then I paint. The emotion is often wonder. Awe. A sense mystery. Gratitude.

I will always feel grateful to be able to process my observations of the world around me in this way.