Weekends

I'm in my studio, just back from dinner with a bit of extra time before I head out to see the play Gee's Bend! I can hear my husband and his friends practicing their instruments in the "band room" down the hall. It's not overly loud, but as usual, I feel the muffled bass beat sound distracting. Enough so, that I won't be starting any projects or doing anything that needs serious focus. It's likely after I finish this, I will just sit and do the free motion quilting on the place mats I am working on for our dining room table.

Such is a weekend for me. I find that unless I am on a retreat, or have a deadline, weekend are not very productive for me in the studio. Being a full time artist is likely the root of this, while others have a day job all week and often only have time for quilting on the weekends.

 Word has it, President Obama is in the cities this weekend. It's too bad he didn't stop by, the studio is freshly vacuumed! Seriously though, when I put even minimal effort in to "cleaning" up the studio, such as vacuuming, I wish that someone important would stop by just to see I did it. If not then president, then maybe Mark Lipinski, Alex Anderson or Jane Sassaman should stop by, just to commend me on my "tidiness".

I'm also trying to savor as much of all as I can. My absolute favorite time of year is the very small window that the leaves are changed and still on the branches. This means extra drives and detours when going out to see as many of them as I can.

I am fortunate to have a wall of windows in my studio, and I have found myself lost staring out the window lately. It's often just disturbingly beautiful out, and as though nature is putting on a show just for me. It feels like my responsibility to stop and appreciate it as much as I can! (And also to look forward to the first snowfall, which is always gorgeous!)

I'm also thankful that the leaves and underbrush are disappearing, because just this week I got my first glimpse of one of the deer. It's been months since I've been able to see through the foliage enough to spot one!

I am ever thankful to nature, as she is my muse. No matter what is going on in my life, there is always fall, followed by winter, then spring, then summer, and circling back again over and over. It's a constant that I can find comfort in. What comforts you?