What is so rare as a day in March,
when sunshine knocks out stiff winter’s starch
when the blanket of snow spills into a trickle
and bloggers once faithful to post become fickle?
Eschewing my blog I now lounge in the light
and – making things worse – have been painting at night.
Spring came to our land last week. In a few days the temp went from -30 to +3. The citizens went from parkas to light jackets. We love the sunny skies and seeing more and more of our lawns appearing!
Looking out the back window yesterday, I noticed a black dot like a stone, lying in the deep snow behind the house and realized that it was the tip of the fence post, buried for months under six feet of snow, now poking through. Two days ago I walked through the back yard, picking the spot where the bank was lowest. It was pretty hard-packed, but where my feet sank in, the snow was knee-deep, so we have a ways to go yet before the back lawn appears.
I’m not sure what’s with me these days, that I’ve abandoned writing and posting for a week. Is this spring fever? The utter abandonment of responsibilities? Too many irons in the fire? But I want to peek in today and say “Hi. Yes, I am alive and reasonably healthy.” To my newest followers, “Thanks for following. I hope you’re finding stuff to read in my archives.”
And I’ve gone from blogging every morning to cleaning house, getting rid of excess stuff, and spending a few hours splashing paint on canvas. Mediocre scenes maybe, but I’m just a beginner. After watching a few demonstrations I tried doing an impressionist style – which didn’t impress friends or hubby – but I think I’ll keep on splashing and dabbing. It looks so easy when I watch the pros do it!
OCD I have: everywhere I turn now, I see something I want to paint! So I reach for a new canvas, then my perfectionism kicks in and I’m afraid to start because I may make a mess of it. I spend too much time looking for a picture I think I could manage, but still have to tell myself often, “It’s okay to make an unrecognizable mess. That’s how you’ll learn.” Do any of you readers have these inner battles that keep you from starting some bold adventure?
Anyway, I hope you’re all enjoying life, in fairly good health, seeing lots of sunshine and blue skies wherever you are.
Ragtag Daily Prompt: BLANKET
Yesterday’s Prompt: CLEAR SKIES
Christine's Collection 
Seems perfect when you think about spring coming and all the people who will be getting out and about and won’t be stuck inside blogging as much!
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That’s definitely putting a positive spin on things. Yes, spring will make an impact on the number of posts — but exercise is always better. 🙂
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Right now the frustrating thing for me is that I’m in Florida and right now it isn’t too hot to be out walking except my father needs my attention almost every minute of the day. I can’t find time to go walk. On the days that I have sitters I usually like to go to a park and read. Pretty soon it’ll be too hot here to walk around.
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Now that the horrible ice stage is past, I’m starting to enjoy this nicer weather! I always feel the way you do when I’m starting a new weaving project! Sometimes we just have to dive in!
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I have some watercolor paper to mess around on before I get right into working on canvas. That helps.
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Just paint. No one cares and it’s fun.
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I’m afraid I am my worst critic. But you’re right. Thanks for the encouragement. 🙂
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I can’t tell you how many paintings I’ve done I thought were crap only to look at them a year or so later and realize they weren’t crap at all. It’s easy to mistake our feelings for what’s actually there. Now I just play and pretty much like everything. 🙂
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did you say 3°? I’m surprised you guys are not all out in your tees!
Good to see you around.
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🙂 I think yesterday it even got up to +4 c and Bob went outside in shirtsleeves. How will we even bear the heat when our days are 20 C? We’ll be toast!
Thanks for your comment.
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I’m sitting at my desk, looking out at a clear blue sky and thinking ‘I shouldn’t be here tapping a keyboard, I should be out there with my camera’! Paint on Christine, I’m outta here!
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Thank you, I will!
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I’ve had a little trouble focusing on writing, too. I took a looooooong walk on Sunday. Where the snow was compacted was great, where it wasn’t, not so much! Quite the workout. But here, too, the snow is melting, causing “rivers” flowing towards the sewers (who knew this would be such a positive sound?) Enjoy your painting. I still haven’t cracked mine open but it keeps staring at me to just do it!
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I picked up a book at the Library yesterday, Playing with Paints: Acrylics that urges readers to “Make a mess, experiment and create a colorful abstract painting.” Take fifteen minutes a day to mess with paint on paper, board, or canvas, I’m going to try following that advice. 🙂
A loooong walk is great, too. We still have snow mountains, but the parts that had a light buildup, that’s almost disappeared. And we are snow-blest right here, we’re told. Bob’s cousin in Moose Jaw says they have no snow now and wish for some moisture.
Thanks for your comment, Dale.
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Painting should be for you and no one else, so only you can judge—paint away! It’s the process, not just the product.
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That’s the problem…I’m so hard to please! 🙂
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