Learning to Watercolor

I spent the New Year’s Day holiday up at the Rock House with Christian and my father-in-law, sitting around the fire, watching movies, doing a puzzle, making (and eating) beef stew and a chicken burrito bowl in the crock pot, and some homemade cookies and cream ice cream. 

I also had some more fun with my Let’s Make Art subscription box. I painted a cardinal and a pickup truck with a tree using patterns I traced with carbon paper. The bird’s tail got messed up when I dropped the painting while it was still wet, and it landed flat on its face. Oops. But it wasn’t such a great work of art to begin with so no harm, really. I definitely enjoy painting along with the tutorials if solely for the fact that I’m unable to do anything else (read about the Mueller investigation or anything Trump, check Twitter or emails, etc.).

I look forward to learning a little more about how to handle the colors and the patience to let parts dry before tinkering with them. But even if this is as good as I get, the unplugged time is all I really want or care about right now. It was a lovely holiday and a peaceful start to the New Year. 

Every New Year’s Eve, I keep saying good riddance to the year before as each has been chock full of challenges. But this year it’s become clear: this is just my life and my life is really challenging right now. I can hope for an easier time of it but, in the meantime, my (continued) resolution is to enjoy all the books, plays, comedy, arts, crafts and the mix of city and country life as much as I can even if the moments are fleeting.

Happy New Year to us all!