California’s governor lifted the much-maligned stay-at-home order just in time for a winter storm to roll in, and all of the sudden everyone wants to, um, stay home. Apparently, freedom’s just another word for let’s stay warm and dry.
Some businesses are starting to open again, although we aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. While I hate to admit this, I’ve become quite comfortable here in my nest. I do get out for walking and golf, but that’s it. Once in a while I get this idea I need to go out and buy something, but then I think, oh, I could just get that on Amazon.
In some ways, it will be hard to push myself out the door when the time comes. Dale’s not far behind me. He keeps a pair of binoculars by his desk that faces a window overlooking the street and reports on daily activities.
“Oh, it looks like the Johnson clan is getting new appliances.”
We really do need to get out more.
In the meantime, I’m grateful for hobbies that keep me amused. I finished another piece of woodburning art, ceremoniously named Number 15. This would be the successor to numbers one through 14. Creativity is sometimes stretched thin during these unprecedented times.
I made it for my dear friend, Carole, whose house has a lot of blue and green. I didn’t want to mimic her colors but instead complement them. It took great discipline to stick to the color scheme, as my previous works seem to be an explosion of reds. I did add just a tiny splash of red and yellow for character.
When I uploaded the piece to my online gallery, I was surprised how different it is from my other examples. I like the all-colors-are-welcome approach, but sticking with a palette is interesting, too.
This time I used a combination of acrylic paint and pencils to fill in the designs I made with the woodburning tool. Because I used so many greens and blues and have a limited supply of paint and pencils, I concocted custom colors for the first time. My sister, The Michaels Whisperer, tells me I can buy a book that essentially provides recipes for color-mixing.
As for scrap wood, I have a couple pieces left. I told asked Dale to be on the lookout and suggested he might want to drive through the neighborhood to see what people are tossing. Not all things are visible from his observation tower by the window.
Although I said in my last post I wasn’t particularly productive, several of us got into a discussion in the comments section and Tamara wondered if engaged is a better word. In addition to my golf addiction, I’m definitely engaged in a number of creative pursuits, to include cooking, baking, writing, growing cannabis and practicing art.
Still, I avoid overengineering my time and try not to make a job out of it.
While we all look forward to a cornucopia of post-pandemic options, I’m not waiting for it to end before I start to live. There’s something to be said for a simple but enjoyable lifestyle that is sustainable through good times and bad. I am fortunate to have a choice, and my simple pleasures in no way mitigate the pain and suffering others are experiencing throughout this ordeal.
I might not be living large, but I’m living large at home. As best I can, anyway.
#15 is stunning and I love it!
I love that making art was not on your list of retirement goals or activities and yet, here you are, living large on the creativity front.
Thank you so much.
I’m so happy, and you are most welcome!
“While we all look forward to a cornucopia of post-pandemic options, I’m not waiting for it to end before I start to live.” Love this line.
Thank you. As I think about it, even when I had cancer, I still had a good time!
I think number 15 is my favorite–so far. I’d happily give you most of the scrap wood sitting in my garage, but my husband probably wouldn’t part with it. He might need it “someday.”
I think it’s my favorite, too! We have a garage full of things we might need “someday.”
Wood piece #15 is just beautiful. But be careful there – I see some seriously professional talent in process! 😄
I think it’s well documented that I’m an extrovert, so I’m ecstatic that we can return to outdoor dining this weekend. Being outdoors feels very safe to me. Whether this is just an illusion, I can’t of course say, but I can say I’ve missed it terribly. We often chat with couples seated at other tables, a COVID extroverts convention of sorts if you will. Extroverts are easily able to find each other!
Thank you so much!
I love that you are able to enjoy outdoor dining. Everyone has to determine their own risk tolerance, and mine is not as tolerable as yours! When our outdoor restaurants are open, there are throngs of people, and I don’t see how we could maintain social distancing. And then talking with people at other tables … yikes! Even though it’s outdoors and safer than indoors, you’re still swapping aerosols. We are risk averse when it comes to COVID, but we’ll probably lighten up a bit once we get vaccinated.
Even though we’re at different ends of the risk tolerance profile, I’m glad you shared your perspective. It shows us there is more than one way to eat this elephant.
I get such peace of mind reading your blog! Our life here at home is similar to yours—we pursue our hobbies, write,cook, ship- building for Ken, paper crafts and art journaling for me. We hike in local parks weekly, ride bikes most days,do yoga at home, and call and Zoom with friends and family so we keep relationships healthy.I am in a monthly on line ZOOM book club. Simple pleasures for sure, and we’re sinking deeply into them. I am missing the local trips we like to do to mining towns and Sedona..but that will return one of these days. Having a nice gas stove,a new refrig. and freezer! a hot tub, a pool, and a comfortable back yard is a blessing beyond measure in these times. I am so aware that many have lost jobs and face tough times ahead. I feel I am as “engaged” in life as I want to be.. actually slowing down on some of the activities has been a boon..not sure which things i will pick up and which I will leave behind for good. When I read how very busy some folks prefer to be,I guess I am happy that my husband and I are mostly on the same wavelength with how much and how far we like to travel or be busy.. it’s a good balance we’ve had.. We’re in line for vaccines soon..a good thing.Till then we do not share air with anyone outside our home xcept for our son , once every week or two, who also works at home and has a girlfriend who is tested 3 x a week at her workplace and MOSTLY works at home also. Whew,these times!
I also miss the little road trips. And I miss going to the wineries. But you are right about the pleasures of having a nice home with lots of things to keep us amused. We are lucky in that regard and do not take it for granted.
I agree with Madeline about the enjoyment I get from reading your blog. Something about the way you approach exploring a variety of things to do has been inspirational for me. I’m not about to begin wood burning any time soon, for example, but it opens my mind up to what new (to me) kinds of creative things I would like to do. And I also loved the concept of not waiting for post-pandemic to live your life, something I’ve been trying to keep front and center.
Like you, I’m pretty risk averse in these times, and I’m willing to give up some little bits of travel, etc. now but will be so delighted to be able to take that first trip when we can.
Hi Nina — thank you so much for the kind feedback. A blog is nothing without readers, and I am happy you are among them! I appreciate your contributions to the discussions we have here and am glad to hear my examples are inspiring you to explore.
I love #15! But then, I’m a ‘blue’ person. I just finished watching the CBS Sunday Morning show and I think you and your pallet art could be the next big thing. May I suggest you do one of sun faces, just in case? 😉
That’s me, one step ahead of time. Dale thinks I need to find other shapes of scrap wood. I’m on the lookout. I love the idea of sun faces. I’m not good at drawing representations of anything, but I ought to be able to pull that off. Thank you for the idea!
I find that I am very happy at home these days. Occasionally I wonder if I am too comfortable at home to tell you the truth. There are things I’ll return to post pandemic but truth be told there are also things I won’t. I doubt for example that I’ll return to my retired womens group multiple events a week lifestyle. I miss the pool more than I can ever say. And road trips. And patio dining with family. As for the colors, you sister is right. I however am on the side of buying all the colors. In many different forms. Lol.
I agree, it will be a challenge to figure out what we’re comfortable with after all this has passed. Because something like it or worse is likely to come again.
I’ll try to follow your advice — all colors in many different forms! I like it.