TICK TOCK...

With speed like that of the hummingbird's wings, the summer festival season is drawing to a close.  As always, there are mixed feelings about this finale. Friends, old and new, will be missed.  The good music will float off on the cool evening breeze.  Appreciation, shared laughter, and good conversations will waft away too.

On the other side of this, though, a good night's sleep, time to read and write and create anew, slow, easy time with friends and family...what's not to like there?

The Sawdust Art Festival completes the 50th year on Sunday, August 28th and the artists will pack it all up.  I look forward to the free time and the time to teach again and maybe even a bit of travel.

Fleet flight

GRATITUDE TO THE MAX

Apollo butterflies at play on canvas

I am a Leo, for all that is entailed in that. This being my birthday month it is an especially good time to reflect and ponder on not only what might be involved in being born with this sun sign but also the many blessings that come each and every day of the year.
Mary Oliver is one of my favorite writers ever. This morning as I re-read her words they seemed to speak for me: Every day I see or I hear something that more or less kills me with delight, that leaves me like a needle in the haystack of light. It is what I was born for--to look, to listen, to lose myself inside this soft world--to instruct myself over and over in joy, and acclamation....
Yes, I am blessed and filled with gratitude for each day's offerings of delight and for the growing wisdom to look and to listen...just to lose myself there.

FUN AFTER DARK

When approached to teach the Sawdust After Dark class I had no idea just how much fun it would be.  A lot of the credit, of course, goes to the wonderful folks who have signed up for this adventure.  And credit is also due to my fine helper, Faith Fickett, without whom I could never manage the numbers in the setting of Studio One at the Sawdust Art Festival grounds. Kudos to all!

More classes through the Sawdust are coming up and I will be teaching for them again on the evenings of September 22 and October 14, along with my regular--longer and more complete--classes here in my own studio.  Lots of fun--day and night!

Two of several fun students--note the different interpretations

BLESSINGS EVEN ON DOG DAYS

The blessings continue to show up even on these hot dog days of summer.  The wonderful dragonfly seen at left--nicknamed Rusty by my booth neighbor Mary Gulino--showed up for many hours on several days this past week.  He would fly around each of our booths, flit back out, and return moments later.  Mary got some fabulous shots of him (the wings are stupendous!) and I was able to get the colorful one seen here. Rusty drew quite a crowd and opened many wonderful conversations.  So much joy seemed contained in such a small creature.






And then today when the dragonfly did not show up as usual, the one below was gifted to me by the wonderful ceramic artist Trevor Stimson. Trevor knew nothing of Rusty so this seemed especially wonderful.

 It is difficult to imagine how such things come to pass, but I love when the serendipity manifests in such a delightful manner.  Let the summer continue to hold these gifts and pass them on to all of us.  Blessings on us all!!