Family Flow / June 19, 2026

June 19, 2026

Family Flow

sisterfest

sure deep root system
vulnerable softnesses
full-throated laughter

—dotty seiter

=====

Shaping Our Story
~3 x 3″; watercolor and ink on paper
mood-mini
2026

=====

Notes on poem and art:
• “sisterfest” offers a glimpse of the five “Hatch girls” at our annual in-person get-together, this year in May on Long Island Sound.
• Shaping Our Story is another mood-mini inspired by Cynthia Hauk that, without conscious intention, seems to capture the seaside location of this year’s Sisterfest and to recognize that our family story is ever in flow.

===

1. 

   carol lee

   June 19, 2026 at 4:00 am

   Edit

   I can almost hear your laughter, giddiness and all that goes with your get-together. Your poem captured that glorious moment.

   Love love the beautiful patterning in your small painting! Also the range of blues and of course those sharp white lines. How? Scraped?

   Like

   Reply
   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      June 19, 2026 at 5:47 am

      Edit

      Yay! So sweet that you can almost hear the laughter and giddiness of my sisters and me, Carol. Thanks for letting me know.

      This mood-mini was fun to paint. I painted the square first with a meander of clean water, dropped paint in, tipped my sketchbook in various directions to get the paint flowing. With those conditions, I enjoy that I can ‘influence’ the flow but not control it! As I recall, I think I then went in with a cleaned, blotted brush to lift a bit of color. Once all was dry I pulled out a silver ink pen to play with neurographic lines and shapes.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
2. 

   carol lee

   June 19, 2026 at 5:49 am

   Edit

   ” I pulled out a silver ink pen to play with neurographic lines and shapes.” That’s your secret!

   Liked by you

   Reply
3. 

   Joyful Puttering

   June 19, 2026 at 7:08 am

   Edit

   What a magical poem to capturing your sisterfest! Celebrating your deep roots and your vulnerability all while having a good laugh! Pure joy! And your neurographic piece absolutely transports me to the calming seaside. But I can still hear the laughter.

   Everything about sisterfest makes me smile.

   Like

   Reply
   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      June 19, 2026 at 8:14 am

      Edit

      MaryAnn, with many sisters/siblings of your own, you’ve no doubt experienced those feelings of deep roots, vulnerability, and full-on laughter—isn’t it the best??

      And, woohoo, glad my neurographic piece transports you to calming seaside … with seaside laughter audible : )

      Like

      Reply
      1. 

         Joyful Puttering

         June 19, 2026 at 9:43 am

         Edit

         Indeed I do!

         I should have said I could hear the laugher “flowing” from piece.

         Like

         Reply
4. 

   Dotty Seiter

   June 19, 2026 at 10:53 am

   Edit

   LOL re ‘flowing’!

   Like

   Reply
5. 

   Sheila Marie Delgado

   June 20, 2026 at 2:38 am

   Edit

   Sisters, sisters…

   All kinds of weather
   We stick together
   The same in the rain or sun..

   Sweet post all around, Dotty! xoxox

   Like

   Reply
   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      June 20, 2026 at 2:44 pm

      Edit

      Sheila, perfect that you thought of this song!!! Thanks for loving this “sweet post.”

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
6. 

   lolajovan

   June 20, 2026 at 1:27 pm

   Edit

   oh how I LOVE that poem! It made me smile and feel the connection you all must have. And the flow of the art goes with it so perfectly. Small things, big meaning. xoxoxox

   Like

   Reply
   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      June 20, 2026 at 2:01 pm

      Edit

      Lola, so glad to hear from you—when I didn’t hear from you Monday and then again not yesterday, I was afraid the vagaries of blogposting were bedeviling us again, but here you are today! ta da!

      The sister connection is a thing, yes?

      And, as you know, I often find big meaning in small things when I create : )

      xoxo

      Like

      Reply
      1. 

         lolajovan

         June 20, 2026 at 2:03 pm

         Edit

         oh no! I posted a reply Monday. Gah! The internet gremlins are at it again! Yesterday we were rockhounding at the coast – back home today! xoxoxoxo

         Like

         Reply
         1. 

            Dotty Seiter

            June 20, 2026 at 2:40 pm

            Edit

            Well, gosh DANG—the internet gremlins WERE at it again. grrrr. Thank you for being such a vital encouraging follower, Lola. Still, those gremlins: grrrr.

            But, oooo, love hearing that you were rockhounding at the coast yesterday. I always love hearing that you’re off adventuring thusly xoxo

 

Home Base / June 15, 2026

June 15, 2026

Home Base

family-owned corner grocery store

me and my sparrow friends and family
know how to make us any place a home:
we feather the branches 
of the privet hedge
on the corner of school and knowlton
this morning

and if you don’t know better, you think
you’re at market basket 
just as the doors open—
all us cashiers and stockers
and cart attendants
and deli counter workers
flocking together, shifting 
hopping rearranging
to greet each other, every one,
buenos días, ¿como éstás?

big smiles, loud laughs,
generous hugs, cheerful cheekpecks,
high-speed chitterchirping—
‘nita, your mamá’s surgery go good?
hey, where’s the lowest gas price today?
did i tell you ‘bout we gonna have
a big party for our anniversary?
¡dios mio! juan making me crazy
we need a new car we need a new car.

then,
we fly
from our home base
to our stations
to work our jobs—
all us early birds
our bellies filled.

—dotty seiter

=====

Sepia and Umber, Chestnut and Sienna
3 x 3″; watercolor and ink on paper
mood-mini
2026

=====
Notes about poem and art:
• “family-owned” is a poem written in free verse with its inspiration coming from observations made on a particular late May predawn walk, one of countless predawn walks that act as my home base each day.
• Sepia and Umber showcases a warm palette of sparrow browns, earth tones I am drawn to perhaps related to my having been born under the sign of Taurus.

=====

1. 

   carol lee

   June 15, 2026 at 6:21 am

   Edit

   That poem really grabbed me. Universal greetings at the workspace!

   Love the contrast of the slow drawing elements and the watercolor washes. Love the crisp edges!

   Like

   Reply
   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      June 15, 2026 at 6:56 am

      Edit

      Oo, so happy to hear that family-owned corner grocery store grabbed you, Carol. Thank you! I wrote it several weeks ago and got very absorbed in working on it over the course of several days.

      Thank you also for your feedback on the contrast of slow drawing elements and watercolor washes as well as your enjoyment of the crisp edges in my mood-mini. I think I may start another mood-mini right now!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
2. 

   Joyful Puttering

   June 15, 2026 at 7:56 am

   Edit

   You early birds really know how to start a day! Love these predawn walk poems.

   And the sparrow browns of your painting are so earthy and appealing. One could find this texture so many places in nature….I’m smitten with those tiny dots. Is that gold in the centers?

   Like

   Reply
   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      June 15, 2026 at 8:09 am

      Edit

      Those congregations of sparrows always catch my attention—they do know how to start a day! I’ll miss them come winter. Thanks for enjoying my predawn walk poems, MaryAnn.

      Yes, gold in the centers of those tiny dots to offer teeny sparks in the sparrow browns. We share our finding those earthy colors appealing (… along with countless other colors!!). 

      Liked by 1 person

3. 

   Sheila Marie Delgado

   June 20, 2026 at 12:37 am

   Edit

   Such a great read, Dotty. Fun images in my head. Lively, familiar, warm.

   I love the art. Love the hues. The mix of hard edges and melding colors. And the tap, tap of the golden dabs. So fun! ;o)

   Like

   Reply
   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      June 20, 2026 at 2:38 pm

      Edit

      Sheila, thank you—it’s gratifying to know that lively familiar warm fun images appeared in your mind in response to family-owned corner grocery store. JUST what the poet loves to hear!

      You picked up on the elements that gave me pleasure as I painted and tapped: the hues, the mix of hard edges and melding colors, the golden dabs. Again, thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
4. 

   lolajovan

   June 21, 2026 at 4:34 pm

   Edit

   Trying this again (fingers crossed, internet gremlins – be kind!)

   I adore this poem. And the sparrow-hued art accompaniment. I will be listening to birdsong as I walk in the evening and bike in the morning with a completely different eavesdropping mindset! There is so much more going on than my mind ever knew!!!

   Thanks always for dazzling me! xoxoxo

   Like

   Reply
   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      June 21, 2026 at 6:14 pm

      Edit

      oh, Lola, thank you for going back to re-comment after the internet gremlins absconded with your original comment. Such kindness and generosity. Where do you think the gremlins go with their ‘found art comments’? Is there an exhibit or spoken word event we don’t know about??

      I listen to the early morning and evening birds-congregating-in-foliage chatter with a new eavesdropping mindset myself these days. There is so much more going on than our minds ever knew. And this, too : )

      Back atcha with gratitude for your dazzling me!

      xoxo

      Like

      Reply
      1. 

         lolajovan

         June 22, 2026 at 2:18 pm

         Edit

         I suspect the gremlins find art comments to be particularly tasty, and sprinkle them on their morning oatmeal…

         Like

         Reply
         1. 

            Dotty Seiter

            June 22, 2026 at 2:29 pm

            Edit

            that’s totally it! totally!