Celebrating Spring

One of the things that I LOVE about writing this blog every day is that it forces me to be creative, and to carve out time for that creativity at least for a half hour or more in the evening. Since I have not been able to get into the studio to paint (filling card orders is about all I have been able to pull off for a few months now...) I have found solace in writing and been forced to learn how to use a digital camera and photoshop to make a piece of art .

I have taken to carrying the camera with me where ever I go. The next step is to buy an extra set of batteries to keep with it as the other day the batteries died while I was photographing in the middle of a big snow squall at dusk. Soon I will be carrying around the watercolors and sketch pens in my car and finding areas to pull off and enjoy the landscape.

Even though it is cold, and there is A LOT OF SNOW on the ground (I can't see my Buddha!!!! He is BURIED!!) I am trying to enjoy the strength of the sun and the length of the daylight. I ran around after school for a bit taking pictures in my garden and yard. Tonight's picture is a digital collage of a photo I took of an architectural piece in the garden. It is actually a tall pot stand, and you can see how deeply it is buried. The snow sparkled like old German glass glitter, brilliant in the sun. The other day I saw a robin, and the geese are back in the fields. I smell spring.

I helped celebrate the first day of spring by spending the evening out alone taking care of my self. I rejoiced with the returning strength of the sun by buying myself new fun sunglasses, a few tank tops for my trip, and a brief run through the Tanning Booth. I know it is bad for me, but I figure a few visits will give me enough color so that I will be ok in the northern California sun. I actually love laying in the "pod" with my glasses on, listening to the music and tuning out for the 8 minutes or so I am in there. I can almost get myself into a trance like sleep in that amount of time. It is wild. Mentally it sure helps too, and you know, I love having a wee bit of color. (so that I am a shade darker than sour milk as my English teacher used to say to me)

I am finishing off the night with a glass of wine and chocolate, and maybe a bath. I also bought some lovely creme at the health food store today, (along with an aromatherapy soy candle which can also be used in its molton state as a body butter!!) so I will go to bed smelling like lavendar and vanilla or some other medley of scents.

I hope you too have celebrated spring in some small way, and if not, there is no time like now to rejoice NOW. And when Larry gets home, maybe (if I am not asleep by then) I will suprise him with a oil scented back rub. He will wonder what I have been up to.

Patti