And now what?

So now I am home after 3 months away, away from everything really that comprised normal life. As I lay in bed that first night, I did indeed ask, "And now what?" Do I pick up where I left off, difficult as that is for me to remember? Or do I start fresh?  We're thinking perhaps a bit of freshness. I feel subtly changed by my experience in Rochester and less attached to the way things were, and physical things in general since the lengthy break from them. But mostly, "and now what?" is geez, it's October already. My kitchen calendar gave me a lovely way of announcing that.

I appreciated the summer-like weather I returned to, a week or so of shorts weather before things got nippy.  Ample time for lunch on the deck, long walks at city beach, thorough airing out of the house. A few leaves were turning, but very palely so. I understand it was a very dry summer here and that may account for the paleness of the turning leaves.

I entered my studio with some trepidation. Really couldn't remember how I'd left it. Oh my - not good, very overwhelming. I think I need to stick with the fresh start idea and clear the decks of the clutter and unfinished projects. I gave it a few days and then remembered that I'd been on the road when my nephew's birthday came around in September. I make a block each year for him and this one would be late. But better late than never. He is very involved with his school music program so I pulled the school logo off the web and set to work. All fused applique with the exception of the background which is free-hand curve cutting followed by machine piecing. The hum of the machine was nearly as good for my well-being as the sound of that creek in Missoula and the lake lapping at city beach. Yeah, I think I'm ready to start creating again.