After a 'big time out'-

It's not only little ones that need some 'quiet time' now and then-

I did- I certainly did-

This has been the year of 'falling on my face' multiple times-

and it ain't over yet, I know-

So, I have been doing my best

to rediscover the things that bring me joy

and just plain having 'fun'...

I sleep as much as I can-

I paint the things I love-

I simplified our meals-

and obviously any ideas of 'dieting' has been thrown

out the window-

I am currently celebrating my soft and rolling, 'huggable' extensions...-

I am making lists of all the things I want

to do and will * of course* do one day-

like:

1. *read all the 'classics'*

(have you ever done that- or aspired to?)

(is there a serious list somewhere?)

2.*take one favorite chef's book and cooking

each and every recipe* (a la Julie and Julia of course)

(which chef would you choose? I am still thinking

about mine- I am debating between Michael Smith-Nigella-

and Jamie Oliver...)

3.* read as much as I can about gardening

because one day I will have a nice little

yard to plant a garden in*-for real-

not as a metaphor for a marital... relationship...-hehe-

(any books to suggest?)

4.*watch the whole series of the 'Gilmore

girls' while painting my  toe nails-*

(I have never watched the 'Gilmore gilrs' before

and my daughter Elli,

looked at me with a questionmark face-

'isn't it a few years too late mom?'

Whatever...-

This new part of my life will allow plenty

of plain, old-fashioned vegging-

comfort food,

comfort reading,

comfort watching,

comfort sleeping,

cheap entertainment if I have to,

and I will go through this life cycle

with a smile on my lips-

5.* Paint a painting daily*,

even if I have already discovered that I

am horribly undisciplined, and hate any kind

of commitment-

6.* Aim for 1000 paintings in the next few years*-

I might be ABLE TO REALLY PAINT then...-

so I will first aim for 500-

and really 100-

so probably it is better to focus of the next 10-

yes- I will start with doing 1 (glorious) painting a day-

and sometimes go a bit larger because I refuse to be too

'tight 'as-ed' about this-

yes, I will be gentle on my hard-to-commit self-

I am thinking of bribes and such...-

Anyway, I have already started on this, and I will show more

artwork soon,

but I really must run off to the studio now-

and to attend to some young girl's need

for new school supplies,

(back to school  in five days....yea!)

life as usual-

but not before I show you these:

Ok. we were there only three days -

but it was plenty to fall in LOVE

with the place-

Imagine vineyards in BC,

open skies,

beautiful lakes,

orchards,

vineyards,

vineyards,

more vineyards,

sunny, sunny days...

Yes, this is *Naramata*-

we wanted to stay there, live there,

breathe there,

paint this landscape daily...

oh- I dream a dream-...

so what about you?

Did you all have a wild and wonderful August?

Or was it a quiet, gentle and wonderful August?

Hugs-

Annamaria Potamiti