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Feb 12, 2026
Media: oil on birch panel, shellac undercoat, unframed
Size: 6x6 in
We live between two windmills. They have stood guard over this neighborhood for hundreds of years, and remind me of how brief my time here has been so far. I love watching them change in the light over the course of days and seasons. There are other windmills nearby, some out in public spaces and some tucked back amid the trees on private land. We recently drove down a long lane because we spotted one peeking out above the dunes on a beach walk, and we wanted to see if we could get closer to it. We finally found where it sits, and enjoyed a glimpse of it, through the hedges, from a little lane near the beach. It was like a treasure hunt for bits of history. Reminders of the long sweep of history helps me to stay balanced when current times can feel about as steady as the deck of a ship in a storm at sea. Like a twirling dancer, I look for focal points as the world spins. For me, the beauty of our landscape is a steadying force. I heard recently that when things seem dark, we each need to reach for our own torch to add light. That torch is different for each of us, but combines to refocus us on what is good and important. For me, it is painting, for another it is speaking out verbally, and for another it is creating and maintaining community. All may seem small individually, but together they can be a city on a hill, or a galaxy across the night sky, providing hope and courage when those may seem thin on the ground.
We live between two windmills. They have stood guard over this neighborhood for hundreds of years, and remind me of how brief my time here has been so far. I love watching them change in the light over the course of days and seasons. There are other windmills nearby, some out in public spaces and some tucked back amid the trees on private land. We recently drove down a long lane because we spotted one peeking out above the dunes on a beach walk, and we wanted to see if we could get closer to it. We finally found where it sits, and enjoyed a glimpse of it, through the hedges, from a little lane near the beach. It was like a treasure hunt for bits of history. Reminders of the long sweep of history helps me to stay balanced when current times can feel about as steady as the deck of a ship in a storm at sea. Like a twirling dancer, I look for focal points as the world spins. For me, the beauty of our landscape is a steadying force. I heard recently that when things seem dark, we each need to reach for our own torch to add light. That torch is different for each of us, but combines to refocus us on what is good and important. For me, it is painting, for another it is speaking out verbally, and for another it is creating and maintaining community. All may seem small individually, but together they can be a city on a hill, or a galaxy across the night sky, providing hope and courage when those may seem thin on the ground.
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