Day 57 - Live Each Season

It’s a new week. This is the beginning of the 9th week, which is almost more than I can believe!

Today I was tired of my experiment, so I had to change the “rules” for this week. I’ve let the color theme take a break and decided to use stuff that I wouldn’t normally consider using on a canvas. I wonder whether I have 7 days of this in me. . . *wink*

I began with paper and then lots of fabric bits. I just grabbed a bunch of scraps and applied them at random. I discovered some cheese cloth that I’d dyed for something else and plopped it on. There were threads lying around, so on they went and anything else that didn’t run away first.

Next, some paint and then I stepped back to look at it. There was a tree! I found a tree! I didn’t begin to create a tree, but there it was. Of course, I had to go with it!

A thin wash of black paint revealed that it was a tree at night - an apple tree with cheesecloth foliage.

I found apple-shaped buttons and a man-in-the-moon button which I tinted with acrylic paint. I wouldn’t have ordinarily chosen buttons, so that was fun. 

Digging through my box ‘o words this text seemed to be “it”.

Living in the midwest allows me to experience all four seasons. I must admit that spring and fall are my favorites, but I do my best to appreciate the gifts of each season. Without the cold and snow, we would have year round bugs. Ick! I love watching the snow fall. Everything is so fresh for a while! Once the cinder trucks make their rounds, that all changes, but nevertheless, it’s quiet and lovely for a while.

Our summers have several weeks of really, really hot sticky weather. We’re not evenly remotely close to water, but the humidity causes us to feel like we're melting which makes me really grateful for air conditioning! :-) The hot weather encourages wonderful tomatoes, melons, and all other sorts of fruits and vegetables that overflow the booths at the farmers' markets. Yum!

Then, of course, there are the seasons of life. I’ve lived the spring and summer life-seasons so far (without a lot of grace much of the time, I’m afraid) but at this point I’m enjoying the autumn of my existence. I’ve learned to slow down - one of the side-benefits of aging. I now consciously choose to embrace my life, my experiences and relationships that I’m so privileged to enjoy.

My motto is to stay in the moment and truly enjoy each day. No one is guaranteed tomorrow, so why waste today by wishing it away? Live each season as it happens.

Stay Artified,

Barb