I opened my e-mail this morning and read a post that discussed observation.  That really resonated with my heart today.  This photo is one of several little collections of shells and various “memories” I’ve placed in jars.  Three are full of shells from my visits to various coastlines here in the states and others are items I’ve found on walks while traveling.  One collection dish I have in my studio is full of items my children or grandchildren have given me, all reminders of a time we shared or a small gift they lovingly gave me.

Years ago I stopped making photo albums and scrapbooks.  Recently, visiting with a friend about a trip, I came home and dug out my scrapbook of that particular trip taken 18 years ago.  I’d written notes by all the photos, most of which I would not have remembered today.  The word, observation, this morning made me think about memories and how we go about preserving  them.   Observation and memories connect somehow for me. Possibly because as an artist I see a subject, place it in my memory and later seek inspiration from that observation to create.  It is important to have memories for me.  Even the not so wonderful memories have a meaning, a lesson, a way of changing our lives.  I’m sad that I no longer have the time to scrapbook but in today’s world of digital photography it is so easy to let go of that form of preservation.  Times have changed and our observation of our world has changed as well.