It’s nearly April and we are seeing some signs of spring. Today on the drive in I noticed things looked somehow different. Then I realized the grass is really green and the monochromatic browns of winter are gone. The crocuses (above) were out March 20, which is just a bit early compared to normal. The forsythia outside my window at work is opening, and daffodils are in bloom. Tomorrow and Thursday are supposed to be cold (in the 30s on Thursday for the high!), but that may well be the end of the cold weather.

Bob and I spent part of two weekends working on cleaning up the creek behind Mom’s house. A number of trees had fallen, and had blocked the path of the water. It’s not 100%, but it’s better for sure. We even saw two fish as soon as the path opened up. It was like nature sent us a sign to thank us for the work. It was nice to be down there again and I know Dad would be proud of the effort. Due to the changes with the trees, the whole lower area gets more sun now, so I’ll be interested to see the new signs of spring as they occur there in the cleared space.

This is painting #36, in gouache. It’s inspired by a photo from a Conde Nast Travel magazine. I’m reasonably pleased with how it turned out. I was having a bit of difficulty with inspiration, so a few travel magazines have hopefully filled that void. I have been practicing half an hour every evening on the recorder, and making some progress on that. Hope your spring is off to a good start!

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This lovely card is not used, but someone has written 1976 on the back. I can smell this place in my mind…air conditioning and cigarettes. Get your ice from the ice machine and an RC Cola. Pop in to the coffee shop for breakfast.

Unfortunately, it’s long gone. Shame.

A not-great study in gouache is painting #33. It needs more work. I need more work. I haven’t been painting much lately. February was hard and now we move into March. What will it hold? I am doing some practicing of the recorder. I’ve been watching a lot of Netflix. I think maybe that’s some of the trouble. I’m quite tired mentally at the end of the day, and doing much more than sitting passively on the couch, crocheting and watching Netflix, is more than I can handle. I had all of these thoughts and ideas on prepping for the Academy Awards, and while I have watched a lot of films, I’ve also spent a fair bit of time watching British crime mysteries. And just sitting and staring into space. Not great. Not great all around.

This is from Accuweather’s prediction center. Quite frankly, it’s too cold and I’m hating it. Average temperatures this week should be climbing, up to 35 for the daily high and 17 for the daily low. Next week should be up to 38/19. Honestly, I’d be fine with 32 for the high. That’s still freezing. We’d still have potential for snow and the snow on the ground wouldn’t melt. It’s still winter. We went out for a walk on Sunday (11 degrees).

There was a decent wind, so it was cold on the face. The snow made it enough of an effort to warm up the rest of the body. It was a pretty day for sure. We are at 39 days now until the official start of spring. But normal temperatures still seem like a long way off.

Work has been a stream of Zoom interviews for the front desk position, as Front Desk Sara is leaving the state to go home to take care of her family. Yesterday was her one year anniversary at work. It seems one year is about all we can expect for a front desk staff member. We also need about three kennel techs as well. It’s a hard time to be hiring for sure.

Mom, Aunt Suzie and Gail have all gotten the vaccine. COVID variants are showing up all over. Michigan opened indoor dining again. I can’t imagine it feeling safe enough to where I’d want to dine indoors. Last night I dreamed everyone around me had the virus and I was trying to get away from them all.

Over the weekend we had a large flock of robins and cedar waxwings, along with a couple eastern bluebirds, on the crabapple tree at home. Lovely creatures, I snapped a few photos. I’m sure they are regretting their early return. It is simply too cold.

I am slowly continuing on with the Class101 online painting class. If I painted as much as I thought about painting, I’d rarely leave my studio. But it’s no good to paint if you’re physically, mentally or emotionally too tired and this time of year can make you feel all three at once. Above is an assignment on glowing again, like the previous candles.

I’ve always been quite afraid of perspective and can never quite get it right. This assignment was on perspective, and I wanted to try something a bit more difficult. Does it look familiar, like from a movie?

Right now I’m working on a garden scape. I think I have three more lessons after that, and then I’ve signed up for a nocturne painting class. Honestly, painting has been the best new year’s resolution I have come up with.

In other news, coronavirus is changing how the holidays will happen. Even though I’ve been congratulating myself on stress management, I’ve had several things happen that are making me think I’ve been lying to myself. If I owe you a text or a letter or an email or a phone call…I’m pretty much paralyzed at this point when it comes to doing anything but barely making it through the day and going home with Bob and Maxy where I put the rest of the world behind me until the alarm clock goes off the next morning. Repeat.