Went to see the phenomenal Chris Robinson sing tonight (from Black Crowes and now Chris Robinson Brotherhood), and I'm so committed to getting these days out, that I took my sketchbook into the concert and drew this before the show started and during an intermission! Super drawing geek! But I did rock out otherwise!
As we drove 1 1/2 hours to our family's Thanksgiving dinner, nature gave us the most beautiful sight: the rolling, beautifully complex flight of starlings against a gray sky.
I am thankful to you, dear starlings, for the loveliness you bring to stark fall skies.
Oh, today was one of the most beautiful days on record. It's fall, it's 80 degree, with NO humidity and just gentle breezes. Oh, my words are so lackluster here. Please suffice it to say, that I kept thinking all day long and until the sun set, this is one of the most perfect days the Midwest has ever known. I felt like I floated when I walked, it was so gentle and easy, the warm blowing air cocooning over me. So you can get my drift, here's a little picture of the colors around me--our neighbor's tree across the street.
See what I mean? Look at those leaves and the color of that sky! Heaven.
Now here also is heaven. The book, "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert. I had it on pre-order from amazon and I received it 2 weeks ago. I was on vacation that week and read almost all of it, but saved and savored the last bit for today. Please get it. It talks of the perseverance in practicing whatever art we want to follow regardless of any outside acclaim. She talks of having faith in your path and SO MUCH more. I love you Elizabeth Gilbert!! I could quote every line in the book. In fact, I have so many pages dog-eared and underlined and starred it's ridiculous. Seriously, this tome is one of the best books on creativity I have ever read.
Here's a drawing I did on the inside cover while I was pondering over some of E. G.'s words.
It's been so hot the past weekend, summer still sending out flares. But if you take the time and sniff the air, you can smell that sweet, drying out smell that signals August and the beginning of school. Maybe that is just a Midwest thing, I'm not sure, but the grass and field corn are sending a signal. The brilliant colors of fall and knitted caps will soon be on their way.
Hope you all remembered to turn your clocks back. Even one extra hour of sleep wasn't enough to recover from the last few days of whirlwind art creation and transport.
I'm going to give you a sweet, little reminder to not fret the loss of sunshine. It's as its supposed to be. Time to huddle down into the coziness of your home for awhile. Leave those sweet ducks alone so they can bring the light back to us in the spring.
Here's another one I started awhile back and abandoned. I spent 4 hours completing it today (well, the middle of the night--I couldn't sleep). I was going to call it "Farewell, Ice Cream Man," but after it SNOWED big fat, wet flakes in Illinois yesterday--October 22nd--before Halloween, I thought, "Even Indian summer is over."
Just two Fridays ago it was 80°F (26.6°C), and my friend and I were eating at an outside cafe. Two days later, Oct. 13th, I took this pictures around our neighborhood. I like the juxtaposition of the still green trees flush with autumn leaves of brilliant orange and gold. The sky was so blue, and I even caught catches of summer flowers, still holding on. Alas, by the end of the week it was turning cold, the furnace was on, and yesterday, I actually wore my winter coat. Sadly, I'm already reminiscing the last gift of summer weather seen below.
Oh, red-hot summer. She's still lounging around like she's in a hammock of endless days. Summer has really been roasting us this past week, giving us a reminder that she's still in control, capable of making us miserable and forcing us to run into the nearest air-conditioned oasis of cool.
But, this chili pepper of a season is slowing being seduced by fall. He's creeping in without our gal truly realizing she's losing her power. He's a gentle fellow. I've seen his presence at the tippy top of our neighbor's maple true. Hidden among the green leaves, there he is--just a few leaves turning scarlet orange--already! In August! And I've spotted other tell-tale signs of his dalliances. Buckeyes, still in their round, green casings, hitting the ground. Crabapples and black walnuts beginning to fall to the earth, and an oversized catalpa leaf, golden bown, almost looking like a supple piece of leather. There they all are, letting us know a change is near.
Keep burning bright, summer girl. You're starting to fall into a deep nap...not quite yet...but soon.
Fall creeping in on summer - soon, the world will be more brown than green.
