Far and Away

This is the landscape I have painted for the online workshop hosted by Misty Mawn. After posting on Flickr, it drew the most attention and I am going to have a tough time doing anything further to it. It does manage to look like I have been feeling recently. More peaceful and at peace with the things that are swirling about my world. I can't really decide if it is the yoga and meditation I have been focusing on or simply finally being at the place in my life where it all looks like small stuff and it takes more than usual to get me off center.

I believe painting more, as I have been doing has a bit to do with it also. when you are doing what you truly love, I think people become more tolerant and more accepting of the road bumps in life. I know that after a day of the usual work stuff and coming home, doing the cooking and cleaning and all that, I finally go up the stairs to my studio, put on my apron and begin, an hour or two flies by and suddenly I am tired, but very happy. cleaning things up, preparing for the next step, whatever that may be and finally turning out the lights, I get a glass of wine and sit down to contemplate the day and I feel good.

In the story of Genesis, after God has created the world, night, day, all of the animals and plants and finally humans, God looks at the work and sees that it is good. Then there is rest. I believe there is a message there....to see that one's work is good and call it so, then enjoy it is a state of rest, preferably with a good Shiraz.

Oh, and maybe a friend to share the rest with. This is Demi, our new fuzzy friend. She came to us from New Hope, PA and seems to be enjoying life here in the Midwest, though she is still being very careful about figuring out the rules. I guess I did the same thing when I moved here. Maybe I still am. She is five years old and a national field champion..retired...now her favorite thing is her new bed, which she does not have to share with any other pups. Previously she lived with a male wirehair and two border terriers. That was a bit too much competition for Demi so she would take the border terriers out...way out into the fields and leave them there...sometimes five miles away. Then she would trot on home, rid of the pesky pups and enjoy some peace and quiet. Now she just has two humans who lavish her with attention, treats and fluffy beds. She has decided to be a studio regular and curls up on a corner of the carpet and guards the door for me....or from me.....I'm not quite sure which !