Feet Up, Eyes Closed

If you've been keeping track of me lately, you know I've been pretty busy. Last night, July 4th at 6 pm, I completed my obligations - and quite well if I do say so myself.

Many sincere thanks to those of you who came to my exhibits to see what I've been working on lately. Your support and friendship is truly appreciated.

Today I spent some much needed time staring at the sky from my patio. Man it felt good to sit in one spot. My breath came slowly and gently, with none of the adrenalin of the past several weeks quickening my pulse.

It was lovely spotting the caterpillars in the milkweeds I planted last year for just that purpose.

The coneflowers stared back at me, and I made a mental note to put them on my plein air painting list soon. But not today.

The coreopsis is a nice complement to the more robust coneflower and I enjoyed dangling my feet into their fern-y greenery. It wasn't quite like being on water, but close enough.

Tomorrow I'll kick it in gear again, but for today I'm languishing in the calm that comes with a job well done and friends well kept.

Here's wishing you the same.

Time Out

Day 65 At Last 2009 7 x 5 oil

It started with a wedding.

Our nephew married his childhood sweetheart this past weekend, and we were delighted to share in this event with them. (Congratulations Brett & Libby!) Of course, as we watched them take their vows outside under a beautiful windless sky we remembered our own wedding, and the many years since. 'Twas lovely.

Handsome Husband and I really wanted to relax and enjoy our combined families during this occasion. He works hard, and I've been painting alot. So I did it. I used all the knowledge I've gathered since I was a little kid on the playground.

I called a time out.

My schedule is full and I want very much to enjoy each and every event I've got lined up. Each obligation is very important to me and I know I am blessed to be able to list these activities on my calendar. And sometimes you've gotta call time out!

Under normal circumstances I would call a halt to a self-induced frenzy right after I went under for the third time. Remember that cartoon? The cartoon character goes underwater, and eventually a fist pops up with three fingers extended. Then it sinks. Again the fist breaks the surface, with only two fingers extended. Again it rises above the waves, just one finger waving before the hand sinks slowly for the last time. It's funny in cartoon-land, but frustrating and annoying when you're a grownup and know better. (Kids, guess what?! You can still learn new tricks when you're over the hill!!)

Leaves on Blue Water 2009 24 x 18 pastel

I'm hitting the pause button on my Off The Highway project because I'm not willing to settle. I managed to make it to Day 72 without a hitch. When the calendar pages flipped over from May to June, and soon to July, I could see that something was going to have to give, and the daily painting was that thing. Working on that project has been exciting, exhilarating and amazing, and also time consuming because I can't just slop through it. I could probably have whipped through 15 paintings today to complete my obligation for the blog for the next three weeks, and you may have never known the difference (ouch) but I just couldn't do that. So I'm doing the grownup thing and calling a time out.

Day 58 Young Cottonwoods 2009 5 x 7 oil

It's a swswsw kinda thing.

So, if you're in central Nebraska, stop by Brickyard Park in Hastings and visit the Cottonwood Festival June 20-22, or skip over to Kearney and see the huge exhibit hosted by the Association of Nebraska Art Clubs at their annual conference and exhibit June 17-21, or head down the interstate to Noyes Gallery in Lincoln and join Jason, Lucy, Marge, Lynn and me on July 3rd for our opening reception for "Artwards" (on exhibit for the month of July) , or mosey over to Geneva and join Max & me for an opening reception on July 2nd for "Homegrown"( two days only, July 3rd & 4th).

My Off The Highway project begins again July 6th. Time in.