"We forget Outside is there.
So Outside reminds us
with flashes at the window
and slow magic tricks."
I am not so keen on the 'outside' when it is as hot as it is today. I do love sitting in my screened-in porch where I can appreciate the warmth of the sunshine, the birdsong that lasts from morning till night, and a peaceful place for reading to my heart's content.
Deborah Underwood has penned this gracious tribute to the outdoorsto remind readers of all the beauty to be found when we venture outside. Many people today seem to have forgotten there is life beyond hearth and home. It is encouraging to know that the pandemic is putting a different face on being in our yards, parks, streets ... providing we keep an acceptable distance from others.
There was a time when we were outside all the time. Luckily, the outside continues to entice with smells, sounds, light, clouds, changing weather, and so much more ... just begging for our attention. Even when we are inside a lot, we are reminded of what is outside as shadows show the rising and setting of the sun; as open windows allow outdoor sounds to come in and entertain; as water flows from taps; and, as tiny bugs venture inside, often inadvertently. Nature is there, whether we are inside or out.
Using watercolors, powdered graphite, dried flower stems, and thread soaked in ink to create the astonishing light-filled images that bring attention to this book's powerful meaning, Cindy Derby proves herself equal to the task. Readers will return time and time again to take in the beauty of both text and visuals. I have read it every morning for more than two weeks, loving the peace it brings.
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