I’m Melissa. Gardener, seed saver, artist, cancer survivor, dog mom, non-profit founder and SeedEO. This is my artist’ sketchbook and my cancer story.

I love hearing from and supporting other cancer survivors, which is initially why I set up this page years ago. While I live in the distant shadow of cancer that visited my body in 2013, and I hope we never meet again, it has certainly shaped who I am today. You can read about my experience on this site.

Growing plants, saving seeds, wandering the wilds and roadsides, gazing in awe at birds and insects is who I am. I am astonished each and every day by the beauty of the world that inspires me to create art.

“I don’t know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

~Mary Oliver, excerpt “The Summer Day”

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