After heading to church for the morning and coming home, I decided I was going to enjoy the beautiful cooler Arizona day. I took my Mountain Bike for breakfast and rode over to “Snooze” in Tempe. As I was finished the book called “you2” by Price Pritchett, PH.D, I decided to head back home and paint. On my way back, I noticed there was a Tempe farmers market. I masked up, and as I rode through I found a particularly calming booth, called DRA (Desert Rose Arte). It was so calm, so peaceful. There I met Sarah, each aspect of her booth was so organically constructed. 

She shared how she created her work and was impressed with how she used the spines of old cactus. I listened as she shared how she treated the paper that made up her art. I enjoyed having a conversation with her about how she created her pieces and the importance of sustainability in each piece. I came home, added the words “Sustainable Living” to the canvas I was going to paint and I feel this piece demonstrates the calm and peace after being inspired to reconnect to the power fo sustainability.  

I have been working towards more sustainability for well over a decade starting with accomplishing LEED AP credentials in 2009 (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). In 2019, I traveled deep inside the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest and met two indigenous tribes (Sapara and Achuar). It was beautiful to see how the land provided for them and how they lived in such harmony with the earth. They shared in repeated comments “we are stewards of the land.” I think it’s a wonderful reminder for us all to see how we can sustainably live and a reminder to be stewards of our lands. It’s a journey, I’m working on it more and more in my life as well and will continue to put focus there.

Enjoy!