Initially this piece was one of many pages in a book remembering my ancestors. I liked it so much as a stand-alone piece, I unbound the book and removed it. It reminds me of a day

celebrating a family reunion. We were gathered around a swimming pool during the day. Time and again, when songbirds flew low over the pool, their breasts took on a teal glow from the pool water. Foraging in the woods with my young nieces and nephews took up a few late-afternoon hours. And the night ended with grilling dinner in the backyard surrounded by party lights. The tree bark and moss included in this piece came from that day. Other papers and portions of the map were hand-painted. Maps remind me that supports surround us, even when life feels complicated. They will lead us where we need to be. We need only seek out the signs and ask for guidance.