A STICK IN TIME SAVES...

Off to Coronado for the second dose of the Moderna vaccine today. High Hopes...for so much, not least of which is that the forecasts for further deaths here in the US (which passed the half million mark now) are just flat out wrong.

I look forward to again taking road trips with daughter Jenna, dining out with friends, visits with family, hugs and more hugs and more hugs, and workshops and........... And so many other fun times that have been sitting on a back burner for almost a year now. Yes, we are moving forward quickly, but time is also moving fast so let's get that stick in the arm...NOW!

  

 

WHAT REMAINS

Rain's remains

The raindrops remained on the leaves for so many hours after the downpour had stopped. It got me thinking about how everything has something that remains, often long after the event itself.

It has been a month since my mother's passing. What remains? Memories, of course, but what of her, what of her essence is still here?

I ponder this as the rain again begins to fall on yet another rainy day. It may take me a while to form clear thought on this.

We shall see.

GOBBLE GOBBLE...IT'S COMING

It's all coming sooooo fast. Can't believe it's Saturday already.

Spent a fun afternoon with daughter Jenna making fused glass ornaments with artist Maggie Spencer. J had mentioned several times wanting a "special" ornament. We had even stopped at Christmas specialty stores on several of our past road trips...with no luck. So I thought...maybe making her own.

Don't know if the result will be what she was after, but it was a lot of fun and a bit zany. So, we shall see.
Meanwhile, hope you all will be surrounded by your family, unlike the turkey shown :)

POST ROAD TRIP?...JUST SLEEP

Silver City mural

Mexican Trestle

Rio Grande

Animas River

Grand Mesa lake

Home from yet another great road trip and all I want to do right now is sleep, sleep, sleep. So, for now, I will merely share a few pictorial highlights from the road. Clearly, Jenna and I are enamored of rivers and trees...and the very bluest of skies. Our agreed upon highlight was the day in Las Cruces when we first hiked in Cloudcroft to the Mexican Trestle and then visited the phenomenal White Sands National Monument.

All in all, a wonderful trip with daughter #2 (wish I could get #1 out on one of these) filled with sights and sounds to remember, but not enough wildlife sightings, though we saw a handful of deer here and there.

It was a great break and when I am finished with catching up on sleep there is much to do here with a full week ahead. Back to reality, I guess.

LOVING THE ROAD

Sorry no pictures this time. Having to do blog from my phone and in a hurry. Daughter #2 and I are still on our road trip adventure, having gone through Arizona and New Mexico and arriving today in Colorado. There will be plenty to share , but the highlights are time together, rivers, and great hikes. More to come 
Signing off for now. 

ON THE ROAD AGAIN...AND SINGING A SONG

Beauty at home

It is that time again--daughter Jenna and I hit the road each fall to explore. We start out in a direction that could very possibly change as we go. This year it will be easterly as we head to our first stop in Arizona. After that...well, it's anybody's guess. I'm leaning toward heading for a bit cooler, like elevations in New Mexico? We'll see. Wherever we go, it will be a great time spent with daughter and her music and some good hiking thrown in, of course.

My intention is to try and keep up this twice a week thing on the road, but there are few guarantees. Goals are just goals....

WHETHER AND WEATHER...

Coastal currents

Dawn broke to the soft hoot of a pair of owls in a nearby tree. For a while I simply stayed snuggled in bed and just listened. Eager to get the day started, I was nevertheless mesmerized and a bit to warm to want to leap out just yet.

Once up, though, I slurped down my large mug of Sumatra coffee, got dressed, and headed out along the coast for my morning walk. My goal for the day is 12,000 plus steps so I knew I wanted to get to it. 

Once at the shore's edge, though...well, more being mesmerized. What can I say?

Once the trance lifted and I was well on my way, my thoughts turned to the annual road trip daughter Jenna and I will be taking soon. Weather has turned our intentions around and around and there was even a point where I was frustrated enough to wonder whether we would even pull it off this fall.

Finally, we have arrived at our dates of travel, but destination is the "whether" and controlled mostly by "weather." I suppose as the day draws nearer we will get it all together. There's not really much to decide except which direction to go as we always fly by the seat of our pants, serendipity and luck.

Happy travels for us abound no matter the direction or the weather. Stay posted.

MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS CREATING

Studio busy-ness

An unscheduled workshop for mothers and daughters lit up the studio on the Wednesday after Christmas.  We ordered food from our local healthy Chinese food place--Peony--and ate, laughed, and produced a vast amount of art bits.  The creative energy was amazing and it was so much fun to see the mothers and daughters working separately and together.  

Just another of the blessings of the art life.