Sanibel Island: An Artist’s Personal Enchantment

After Hurricane Ian, I heard many neighbors mourning the loss of our lush island preserve not knowing when it would recover or if. I felt that this was not a healthy prolonged way of feeling and decided to pull together images I had of my artwork and photos, and through the Spirit found inspiration through my art, then poetry flowed.

Pairing each image with the poetry, this book is a gentle read and one to enliven the joy within. 

This book is small in pages as I was also putting my house back together after Hurricane Ian yet big on hope and inspiration for the gentle vignettes that surround us and often go unnoticed. 

As an Artist, I consider it my job to gather inspiration and share what I see to lend support and to encourage rebuilding the stability we once enjoyed and can have again.

An excerpt:

“Black-Crowned Night-Heron with company. ” 

Photograph by Arlene Bernice Curley Stigum

Location: the Stigum’s backyard on Sanibel Island

“Our napping Black-crowned Night-Heron, had more around him than he acknowledged. 

Another heron seeking a quiet perch, found a nearby Green Buttonwood. He 

selected a spot high enough up off ground to not disturb the napping Black-crowned Night-Heron with just enough coverage overhead to be protected on all sides. This heron had requirements more detailed than the Black-crowned Night-Heron. 

All was quiet in this temporary nursery until an Ibis of similar interest wandered up along the same Green Buttonwood. His presence was undetected until he crossed the invisible line of preferred distance, where upon the heron turned to face the encroaching Ibis and whatever their exchange, the Ibis promptly turned back, climbing down the diagonal trunk of the Green Buttonwood in search of welcoming roost. Not that the Ibis wished to be alone, as there are safety in numbers, rather that not everyone choosing to nap, wants company. A lesson he relearned today. 

All of this transpired while our napping Black-crowned Night-Heron, remained undisturbed along the waters edge. The ripples in the water, the occasional breezes, the visitors, none of it was going to interrupt his nap.“

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