Connections, Kristen's wonderful challenge

It's funny sometimes how a spur of the moment though...actually, maybe it's more accurate to say, a mind empty of thoughts, a mind in the present, how that inspires the perfect action.I knew that the challenge word for this week is connections. I knew this for a full week and everywhere I went, everything I did, I saw connections in. But then, you might be saying, you can hardly help that, can't you? Well, it's true, but rarely do those connections inspire a meaningful piece of art.Yesterday at the beach, it was gloriously warm and bright. I picked up a piece of orange nylon rope thinking I would recycle it properly, and, as I sat looking around me at the sunshine and the happy dogs I decided to save that piece of rope and weave it into something which connects.So I walked along the beach to find the perfect branch and some other objects and took them home.I was going to wait till this morning to do something with them, but the evening was so lovely that I decided to start right then.I wove the nylon rope around the branch and thru itself.I found some ribbon and yarn and wove that in to symbolise seaweed and the reflection from shells.And then I went to get my other found goodies to add those on, phoned Robbie and went to bed.Sent photos for the weaving to R and he said, "you've made yourself a talking stick. Even more connections. I like it!"This morning my newly proclaimed talking stick lay on the dining room table.It sparkles in the harsh morning light, with its beads of birch bark, its combinations of man-made and natural elements, discarded and wanted, saved and used. Offers, connections, from the ocean and from my hands to your heart.I took it outside to greet the day and held it up against the sky.When you have a chance, the list of participating artists is here on Kristen's site. :D