What I'm working on: "Oyster Shell Assemblage"

I have some friends here on Whidbey who are grandparents to a delightful 10-year-old girl. I've met/seen this child maybe twice in the past five years or so, but I hear stories about her. How she's interested in nature (especially orcas), reading, and art.

Yesterday I sent her this oyster shell that has a little silver bird's nest attached to its interior. And here's my accompanying letter:

Dear Caroline,

I made this the other day and for some weird reason I thought of you.

We don’t really know each other, do we? We’ve seen each other just a couple of times, right?

So why would I be thinking of you when I was making this? How did it happen?

I was cleaning my art studio and I came upon an oyster shell.

I almost threw it away, but then I saw a tiny, tiny hole in it.

Hmmmmmmm . . . A tiny hole. What can I attach to this oyster shell?

Oyster, oyster, oyster . . . What do oysters make? Pearls! I have some pearls.

Pearls, pearls, pearls . . . They look like little bird eggs, don’t they?

Birds, eggs, birds, eggs . . . Nests!

I have some silver wire. I made a silver nest with pearls inside and attached it to the oyster shell.

Ta da!

And then I thought of you — someone I don’t really know — and decided this should belong to you.

So here it is — the idea of an oyster, pearls, eggs, birds, nests — an idea that all came together as a special gift for you, Caroline. From someone you don’t even know!

Love,
Carol Leigh
Your mom’s friend on Whidbey Island.
Your grandmother’s friend on Whidbey Island.

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©Carol Leigh
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