Noise had penetrated every nook and cranny in the house and in my head; this Mama needed a break. Grabbing my keys and my excuse to escape, the latest Netflix dvd that needed to be dropped in the mail, I headed out for just a bit.
Sliding the red envelope into the large blue box at the Post Office, I knew the five minutes that took was not nearly enough to clear my head. I steered the car in the direction of the nearest country drive, took my foot off the brake and hit the gas.
Sliding the red envelope into the large blue box at the Post Office, I knew the five minutes that took was not nearly enough to clear my head. I steered the car in the direction of the nearest country drive, took my foot off the brake and hit the gas.
Hot air whipped my wet hair (wet from my first attempt at silencing those noises that had seeped from sweet kidlets' summer fun to the inside of my brain...though a shower had not worked well enough) as I drove country roads. And then my slowly unwinding brain was jolted.
There was something on the corner that had not been there the last time I made the drive. Something that snapped me to attention. I couldn't stop looking. I pulled over and took a second to snap a pic with my old camera that I had in my purse.
Admittedly, the picture doesn't do this sculpture of Los Olmos, created by artist Edwin Hamilton justice. You can see a better photograph of his installation at the Petaluma Arts Center by Scott Hess here.
A country drive, some solo time, and the stark surprise of stone sculpture created from granite, Basalt, Limestone, and Travertine in the middle of an open, wild space was exactly the fresh air the inside of my head needed.
What snaps you to attention? What clears your head? What's your go-to method for capturing a bit of peace?
