Salt and Dirt

The smell of salt which was brought into the second floor opened window and the view of crashing waves that accompanied the smell is what I woke up to each morning for three days in mid July. A bit of a different scenery than my typical mornings that are filled with a view of a newly planted field and the smell of freshly turned dirt, which is what I left behind in Missouri. Every three years, my sisters, my mom, my aunt, and a few of my cousins make a drive to a destination that really doesn’t matter since anytime we are together it is paradise. The conversations until midnight or later, the laughs until someone is literally gasping for air, and even the tears that make our freshly coated makeup run, will create memories that last a lifetime. 
My sea turtle creation was inspired by this trip. According to Ancient Hawaiian mythology, sea turtles were venerated as a powerful symbol of strength, fertility, longevity, and wisdom. These are characteristics that I see in each of these women that traveled with me over five hundred miles. The sea turtle is also known as a creature of endurance. Each of these women, including myself, have encountered a hardship that the endurance has shown brightly throughout it all. I hope my sea turtle will remind you of the strength and endurance that I know are with you.