Some of the Best Things in Life Are Free

A busy day. School, packing up the sales I had in the past 24 hours on Etsy.
Though it may be hard to sell art, I have many fabulous things to sell to USE in art, so I have been keeping busy listing on Etsy and Ebay, hoping to make enough money to pay another studio heating bill.

I got my largest heating bill EVER yesterday. Six weeks of working in the studio cost 160.00. Most of the time the heat is at 40 and when I am in there, I pump it up to 65 or so. Sheeeeit. There is still 3 months of winter left. GULP.

One of my friends suggested I go solar, but somehow I have this idea stuck in my head that it will cost me a lot of money. And, as Larry pointed out, there are lots of trees around my studio, so it might not be practical.

But in spite of all of this, I realized that there ARE some things in life that are free, like the coffee/tea that is served in my bank. Too bad it doesn't open till 9 am, cause I would figure out how to make many transactions there during the week so that on my way to work I could grab a cup. They have a great one cup machine that makes coffee or tea from Green Mountain Roasters. Today for a healthy pick-me-up, I had the green tea. D E L I G H T F U L.

Then there are the free address labels that I get from St. Jude's Hospital, a Cancer Society, the Human Rights Commission or some other organization that thinks if they send you return address labels, you will send them money. I usually don't send money and there is no guilt, as this year I have been the most generous ever. Maybe I only send out checks for 25.00, but I have supported an organization for teens/abused mothers, Planned Parenthood, a local Community Center for Children, the local art society building fund, several scholarship funds, local people who are ill or need help etc. Then there is the art that I donate, for which the government will only give me a write off for the cost of the art, not its value. Though a piece may only cost me 50.00 to make, the market value is MUCH more, but alas, I cannot claim the fair market value. Obama, can you help out on this one?

There there are the daily gifts that mother earth grants us... sunrises, sunsets, snowflakes, kittens, puppies, flowers ET.AL.

And then there is the priceless gift of love and friendship.

If I could only bottle it all and shove it in my gas tank, but somehow, I will make it through the winter.

In appreciation of all that IS free,

Patti O Gratitude!