November 25, 2012 Settlin' In!

It is 10:00 a.m., the sun is peeking through the snow flurries, laundry in the dryer, credit card machine taken apart and put away for another season.....lots of pick up and put away things done....already this morning, besides a walk with Toby and feeding my deer friends.  My "art" season is about done for the year.....as far as the selling part goes, I imagine.  I have to go to the Art Colony tomorrow and pick up some items.  The Garage, in Grand Marais may still sell odds and ends, but my big push is over. 
It has been a busy week with getting ready for Thanksgiving and the Hovland Arts Festival sale.  We had a good turnout of people from the area and Thunder Bay, Canada.  It was a time to visit and make conversation with old friends.  You would be surprised at all the people who show up for this event.  A good day was had by all.  When people all cooperate and help, it is amazing what we can do. 
Now, besides cross country skiing, which I intend to do this afternoon, and watching critters....and of course taking photos of them.....I need to decide what I am going to do with myself this winter.  Mind you, retirement in time for summer and all the outside time......working on trails...all that daylight was fine.  I really enjoyed my first summer off in over forty years.  However, there are a lot of things you can't do in the winter time.  And, since I am not good at sitting extended periods of time, I hardly think I am going to sit down and read my whole winter away.....although, I will catch up on some of that too. 
No......one of my thoughts is about what new avenue of art I would like to explore getting in to or back in to.  I had a piece I made for the spring Art Colony show at the sale.  I received a lot of nice compliments on it......one....I was out of my usual niche most people think of me doing....and two....they saw some of what else I can do besides take photos.  People who haven't known me forever don't know I used to paint or draw.....all things that take more time to do well.  Working full time all those years didn't lend well to oil painting.  One person was going to buy it, in fact, she liked it so much.  However, she got to thinking too much....as some of us are prone to do.....and didn't know where she would put it.  That is a problem for a number of us.  We live in an "arts" community and a lot of us really appreciate it......which probably means we have more pieces than we have room to display it.  Rotating your art for the seasons is an interesting concept.  However, it takes time and storage space.  As much as we might like the idea.....it just doesn't always get done.   So....another of those "what to do-what to do" things in our lives.
Well, the dryer just buzzed done.  I have a bit more clean up to do after the busyness  of  the past few days.  Then.....on to the decisions of "what's next" in my life!  :)