Friday, June 12

Bluebells in my palm, Summer 2009

I am coming into balance.
Subtle shifts fleeting --
I find them when I do simple things -- water the garden, sweep floors, heat/haul water, clear out my spaces . . .
Let me spoon feed you SUMMER.
It is here friend and everyone in Fairbanks is feasting on light and colorful blooms, green and running rivers.
It is a bite by bite event.

Oh yeah, the mosquito's are out and it sure smells smokey tonight -- no matter, life is living duality.

There were loud thunder claps this afternoon and a nap to rain and open windows.

Man, do I love Alaska.
Each summer I tether myself to the Interior.
What was once a spoken wish from my early twenties is now my present day. Life is cyclical like that.

It's lit soft at eleven and I am thinking about FORTUNE again.
It is good to live upon a land that is still so wild, so full of extremes in it's expanse. Northern living carries you to the edge of yourself and I appreciate her lessons in light/shadow and luminescence.

Gathering a running list of good things . . .

The night ends mosquito free - surprisingly enough - for my last sit on my porch. The weekend stretches before me with garage sales, yard work, sun basking and painting. I hope wherever you are you are savoring your summer!

Sunday

The way in which this day unfolds is easy. There are birds at the feeder and sunlight is soft through the trees. I am doing a favorite thing - - sitting in the morning sun, drinking coffee and listening to NPR.

Gotta love a Sunday.

Growing up my parents believed that Sunday’s were for basking and participating in simple pleasures -- a big family breakfast, laying in the hammock under tall pines, reading, napping. The impression this belief made on me was lasting, I try my best to reserve one day (maybe not Sunday) for doing a whole lot of nothing.
I will admit, I had a “to-do” list for today. It went like this:

1. Morning Coffee outside on the deck
2. Get creative
3. Do Laundry
4. Post this blog
5. Tidy the cabin

As I was checking off #1, I flashed back to how my folks treated Sunday : it was all about going slow and following whims. Taking that to heart, it is now 2:44pm and I am on a lunch break while checking off #2. I am completely surrendered to staying here ALL DAY. 3,4 and 5 will slide on over to Monday’s list. Today is about honoring large expanses of time to do with what I want and that happens to be PAINT.

In the studio, I am re-working an older body of work. The process has been a thrill ride and the enjoyment is immense. I have turned the ringer off and rolled up my sleeves . . .

Stay tuned dear reader, new work is on it's way!!

Saturday

Mosquito Coil and Tree Stump, Summer 2009

I’ve got water going for a shower. I’ve tapped into the perfect combination of a neatly timed 5 gallon’s worth of shower – 6 if I wanna shave my legs.

Ten minutes on the stove for a boil. Two tea kettles and a soup pot. Dump into bucket. Mix with equal parts cold. Plug in the pump. wha – La. You are on your way to clean.

Let me tell you, a shower set up in a dry cabin is a luxury. It is a little extra work, but worth any effort entirely.

I’ve earned it today.

I planted this years garden—including, but not limited to:

dahlias,sweet peas,basil,carrots,marigolds,lavender,sunflowers,celery,zucchini,lettuce,cucumbers

I finished the hanging baskets and the bird feeder is stocked.

I even stained the deck and ringed a tree with rocks.

The wildflowers I planted last weekend are showing the first signs of new life and there are choke cherries blooming.

Sitting in the sun now, I’m drinking a cold one, wearing a days worth of dirt and feeling that content feeling working outside always gives me. Sometimes, it seems that there is no greater pleasure than this moment. You know; when your muscles are sore from manual labor, dirt is under your fingernails, deck stain on your hands and arms and you’ve got a sweat stained face with a sun tan. It’s always been a favorite of mine.

‘Rounding your next corner dear reader --

I wish for you * freshly tilled earth and big,white cumulous clouds. The sound of a cessna flying overhead, fresh produce, free time and new stories.