Inspire the Artist Within You

Swap inspired by Keri Smith.

Here are the tasks I chose to do this year.
Last year's Swap


57 Morning Collage


76 Draw the sun

5. Find a piece of poetry and respond to it.

The Willow Tree

© By Anna E. Vickrey

I sit under a grand old tree
the leaves softly float to the ground
the earth around me green
but the roots on this old tree
an unforgiving brown
I used to sit here
on my lonesome
and wonder and laugh on the outside
but on the inside, I always seem to cry
but now it doesn't bother me
the leaves just float on by
so now I watch and listen
to the story of my life
I wonder if it's over
but it's only just begun
I wonder about this tree
I wonder about the sun
it shines on me so brightly
it shines on this old tree
it makes me warm inside
to think it's shining on me


When I was in primary school a drawing competion for Arbour was held. Drawing is not one of talents - still isn't . We had to hand something in. My mom taught me to draw a willow tree. I was really proud of my drawing one of best drawings ever. I begun fantasizing about living in house that overlooked a little stream or river and large Willow tree. I would day dream about going for picnics, writing poetry or just sitting there listening to the water.


When I read the poem above in highlights for me the image of sad weeping willow, a feeling that I can identify with. Crying and alone and yet finding and feeling the strength of the tree, the was the sun. Not just surviving the time of weeping but going into a time of laughing and truly living. The hope and warmth of the sunlight is within me , shines through and touches others as well.

Just the the cycles of the season and the colours changing from brown to green so my life changes and moves from sorrow to joy etc......

18. Here is my attempt to draw my favourite Tree - THE WILLOW

64. Physically alter Paper

I decided to do so by burning - used two different colour and textured paper.

27. I read the following story to my daughter

 49. Research on a celebration or cultural event

Click here to visit my St Patrick's Day page - A South African in Northern Ireland on St Patrick's Day 2009

95 Simpilicy

Sunset on St Patricks Day 2009

Below a wall painting leading to my favourate coffee shop in Banbridge - Cellars.