Up the Down Escalator

"Marsh Reflections"

9"x12"

acrylic on canvas

"Marsh Reflections" was painted en plein air alongside the road right near Fort Mott. It was one of those days that no matter what I did I felt like I was fighting a losing battle. I tried to head out early to paint but everything delayed my leaving the house. Then upon setting up my work station (see the above photo taken during painting "Morning Marsh") the flies came at me with a vengeance. The breeze shifted, which brought the flies and a very fishy smell. I refused to quit. Smacking biting flies off my legs and wishing I had brought sun screen I tried to stay focused. Then, in the distance, I hear a strange rumble interrupting the quiet still of the marsh. It grew louder. This did not bode well. Suddenly an 18 wheeler came flying down the road like it was on the interstate. This is a dead end road. Even though I was safely on the dirt shoulder the ground shuddered beneath me and my disposable palette flipped up and paint was everywhere. I continued painting. Then a cyclist, with quite the kit I must say, swerved awfully close to me because HE WAS ANSWERING HIS CELL PHONE! Ok people, if you are on your bike for some exercise and nature, stay the frig off your phone! Folks are funny. I got bitten one more time by a fly and a bee buzzed in my ear and I cursed loudly and packed up to finish the piece at home. Enough was enough. I didn't go through chemo and radiation to be killed on the side of the road for my art.

The lesson here is that if you feel like you are trying to run "up" the "down" escalator, change directions. Seriously, this is a very important lesson to learn. If you are feeling like no matter what you do you just can't make progress it is time to reevaluate and find something else to do. Life is not supposed to be that hard. I swear.

(Blogger is doing weird things with spacing today...please excuse that.)