Ever since I was a child I have picked up rocks, feathers and anything else that caught my eye while exploring. Each object represented a different adventure. Sometimes I'd seal them in plastic bags and temporarily lose them in the mess of my bedroom. I remember finding maple seeds, little helicopters, in such a bag. They had sprouted and roots grew in every direction. Maybe this triggered my love of gardening. Who knows but I was fascinated and created 'experiments' with different types of seeds. Years later, I could hold these keepsakes in my hands and recall the sounds, sights and smells of the landscape around me as if I had been transported. It's a habit that has remained unchanged.

I am fortunate to have a husband that loves nature just as much, if not more, than I do. This painting represents more recent objects we've found. The shell fossils as well as the vulture and blue jay feathers were found in Granbury. The arrowhead was an exciting find while digging to create my flower gardens. The deer bones Ed and I discovered on one of the islands that sprung up in our lake during a severe drought. We canoed over to it one nice Sunday. While hiking at the Johanson Ranch near Goldthwaite, Ed spotted the turtle shell. The book is an older bird identification book and the binoculars naturally go with it. Finally, the turkey feather was found in Glen Rose.

I’ve decided to keep the original "Hiker's Treasures" painting since it has special meaning for my husband and I, but prints are now available. Perfect for my fellow nature lovers. Click here to visit the print page.