We had dinner plans. She suggested we got to the North Carolina Arboretum instead/in addition to visit Thomas Dambo’s “Trolls: A Field Study” exhibition. It was the perfect day for it. Cold, but not as cold as the recent single digit snowy temperatures. A pleasant chilly. Gray and drizzly. Not many other visitors. An ideal day to saunter through the Arboretum and enjoy the calming force of being among copses of trees, walking on paths covered with soft pine needles.

Each troll had a message. About food waste, noise pollution, capital consumption, among others. The messages were short and to the point, with suggested action items. The trolls were delightful. Huge wooden sculptures with surprising details. Beautiful fingernails. Wild hair made from twigs. Kindly facial expressions. And with each troll Dambo captured the essence of movement – catching something (perhaps a human?) with a net, attempting a handstand, delighting in found objects. I marvel at artists. How do their minds work to come up with these ideas? Simply stunning.

Eternally grateful for the surprises the world offers. ❤