missouribendstudio: art on teabag

Hello! I have had a very busy week, which began with an extraordinary opportunity to see President Barack Obama when he was in Sioux City, IA last Saturday. Through one of my co-workers, we were able to get VIP tickets and were very close when he was there to give a short speech....very exciting! I happen to think he's a wonderful President and of course, his speech was an inspiration. Lots of evening activities lately, which is kind of unusual for us....out three evenings in a row this week. No wonder I'm feeling off kilter and behind in everything.

Johntimothy and I have begun a new way of eating based on The Abascal Way, which works to quiet inflammation in the body. It's a most interesting read and we are learning things about how the body actual works, how food is processed and the immune system functions. There is a three week phase where many foods that our western (especially American) diet has come to rely upon are eliminated so you can get the body realigned. Mostly we are eating whole foods, including vast amounts of fruits, vegetables and nuts, with some selective meat and fish. We were both already way too busy, but now we've added this turnaround in our eating habits, which necessitates actually spending more time in the kitchen preparing food and planning our meals to take to work so they are proportionally balanced. Wow....it's a lot. There are times when I am ready to give it all up so I can just go out on the deck with a glass of wine and forget it all....but alas, not for a while.

So, there is one thing in my life that remains on course and it is these little dailies that keep me balanced on days when I am overwhelmed. It's a good thing to get up early and go downstairs to the studio when it's still dark and all is quiet, inside and out. Sometimes I can tell you what was going on in my head when I made them, but sometimes I'm not sure at all and they just are what they are....it's a conversation in which the moment of making is given over to the history of everything that came before. Then the rest of the day unfolds and before I know it, the morning has come around again and I am at my table, stamping a new page with the date and beginning to let my hand move across the page.

Thanks for all the kind words about the Somerset Studio magazine....still awaiting my copy, so I haven't actually taken a close look. I do so appreciate hearing from you and apologize for the sometimes long lapses in my response time. It is hard to keep up! I haven't read the blogs I follow in ages and am way behind on that front. There seems to be no way to stay on top of everything....does anyone have any secrets? I don't want to give one thing up, but am also a bit weary of feeling behind....time to set some new priorities! Okay, that's quite enough rambling from me....here are the week's dailies! Do stop over at MissouriBendMusings to see more views and get more information.