Dear pine cone

On joy as resistance.

“Sometimes I need
only to stand
wherever I am
to be blessed.

Little mink, let me watch you.
Little mice, run and run.
Dear pine cone, let me hold you
as you open.”

— Mary Oliver

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The other night, as I was putting the girls to bed — Eva in my arms, Elena curled up beside me as she drifted to sleep — I got to thinking about the tiny paintings I’ve been making for our new community series, This Is A Good Place.

At just two inches by two inches, they’re some of the smallest illustrations I’ve ever painted for Dandelion Seeds, but they’ve also been some of the most fun to create.

“Each painting is like four square inches of joy,” I thought to myself that night.

The fact that these tiny paintings have brought me so much joy isn’t the only incongruous thing about them.