Where are the weather vanes?  That is the irony of which I add to all the works of the Centripetal Satires series. 

As the words began circling my mind, much like my designs in this series do, I marveled to the sound of weathered vanes, as the buildings in this scene have received their character and allure by the constant wind, sun, rain and snow.  Mother nature has her way of adding her own type of charm to man-made items humans forget or leave. In this case, it is a house, barn, school and church. The weathered windmills are landmarks or ghostly reminders of humanity past; signs of past diligence, productivity, laughter, tears, joy and sorrow. 

My intention was to create the scene which one might experience while visiting the windblown plains.  When I first moved to North Dakota from Pennsylvania to teach, I was surprised how constant the wind blew, sometimes feeling relentless, especially while pedaling my bike.  Exploring the back gravel roads, I was sure to pass an abandoned house or two and was drawn to the dark shadows and brokenness of a once sturdy foundation.  I imagined whom settled there and the life they may have lived. 

The yellow birds flying atop the wind blown grasses, purple cone flowers and wild crocus are scenes that are engraved in my heart from our spring and fasting ceremonies held on the plains; a beautiful time with Creator, personal growth and new understandings of life.  My mother-in-law’s favorite flower is the wild crocus.  Never seeing one before, after ceremony was over, my husband took me to an area where the delicate, lilac colored crocus blanketed the ground.  What Bliss!