I Live Here

WHEW! On Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. I finished my last painting for my July show titled, " I Live Here". It features different images from life here in Alaska. After many starts and stops and frustration I finally brought it all together with not much time to spare.

I was feeling free and easy on Wednesday. After having a schedule that required me to be easel focused I decided to take my puppy for a nice walk. Ahhhhh, great way to clear the mind and celebrate 8 fresh paintings.

Off we went with a spring in my step. My step soon became a shuffling moon walk of sorts when I came upon a moose cow with a baby. A moose mom is deadlier than a bear so we about faced and headed a different way. Ahhh 'I Live Here' you know, just a beautiful reminder of this great state.

Plan B came screeching to a halt when a moose mom with twins poked her head out of the woods. Poked her clearly crabby head out of the brush. Even Ginzee slinked away, that moose had a fierce stink eye! Heh, heh 'I Live Here' you know. Moose everywhere. Just a slight inconvenience, no big deal.

Plan C was in full motion when we came upon a black bear. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I LIVE HERE YA KNOW! I stood weighing my options and best route of survival. Still wanting to "Live Here" by the end of the day. I mean, how much wildlife can you pack in a 2 mile span?

We took our chances with our route back home. I was twitchy,the dog was twitchy. Ginzee would flinch, then I would flinch, then she would flinch from my flinching. We were a twitching mess when we finally hit the relative safety of our yard.

Alaska is amazing everyday. True, I was a bit fussed when I got back home but not everyone gets to see that much wildlife on a simple dog walk. That is why when ever a tourist says, "Where are you from?" I smile and answer, " I live here".

Natures Inspiration

I have a great husband. A few year ago he suggested we make our very unused t.v. room into my studio, making my too small loft studio into an art office. He reminds me every now and then how much of the house is labeled as "mine" but I am okay with that and quite grateful he is so willing to share.

The view outside my studio is heaven. Flowers, trees with birds flitting about and the occasion wildlife strolling through. When you're intense on an art problem, the faint clop of a moose hoof if just the recalibration you need. The rush you feel when a baby moose looks you right in the eye with his little cinnamon muzzle twitching to catch your smell is wonderful. If I were a cartoon at that moment I would have rainbows and butterflies swirling around me. You walk back into the house with a contented sigh and a clearer head.

Nature has a great way of making us take a deep breath and smile. Thinking about the first snowflakes slowly floating to the ground is giving me a smile already.