retreat to the woods

It is the time of the year where I make my annual trip to Maine and stay with my parents in my uncle's bare-bones cabin. I have been aching to get up there as it is my favorite seasonal ritual. I'd venture to say that a week of lumpy mattresses, loon calls, board games and lake baths is even more dear to me than Christmas!

Since I can remember, my time there has been primarily occupied in three ways: eating, reading and making.

Eating- As always, the tiny blueberries Maine is known for. In sauces, muffins, pancakes and fresh off the bush. Grilled corn on the cob, toasted marshmallows and whoopie pies. I refuse to eat a whoopie pie anywhere but in Maine.

Reading- I visited the library and teen fiction is still my favorite for summer reading. I picked up The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Once Upon a Time in the North, Puddin'head Wilson and a book on managing ADHD that I will probably only read a little and then I expect to get distracted and forget about. I also grabbed a book that teaches card games. I have want to be the kind of person who knows lots of card games and carries around a deck for spontaneous fun. I carried around Bananagrams for a couple weeks but found it cumbersome.

Making- The best part! I have often treated this trip like an artist's retreat. I remember as a kid, packing a huge suitcase of art supplies to make collages, jewelry, paintings or anything else I was into at the time. I once brought a huge block of plaster. This time I'm keeping it simple and just bringing a pad of paper, drawing tools, brushes and my new watercolor set. I am hoping to put a serious dent in my alligator project.

While I'm away form the luxuries of hot water, internet, television and cell phone reception, My friends Judith and Daphne will be taking care of the bunnies. I mention this because they are both really excellent individuals and I think you will find it rewarding to follow these links to Judith's music and Daphne's illustration.

I'll be back soon with all the watercolor alligators you can stand!

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I'm skipping town!

I'm leaving tomorrow for my annual trip to my Uncle's cabin in Maine. I think a little break from my day job and a change of scenery is just what my brain has been needing. There is nothing I find more refreshing than quiet time by a lake with no responsibilities.

I'm bringing paper and pens so I can get going on the zine I've been promising for a long time. My friend wrote a short story and asked me to illustrate it. That counts as a zine since we're printing it ourselves right?

I'm also putting the finishing touches on a few new designs for cards. I have a pile 99% complete ideas that are begging for attention.

It appears I have no idea how to take a vacation! Even if I can't help but work, at least I'll be sitting on a big rock with my feet in the water.

PS: I put my Etsy shop on vacation mode so it looks empty but it'll be back on the 31st.

I'm back from my trip to Maine!

I had a really splendid time with my family even though it poured almost every day. The good news about all that damp weather was that the mushroom population was thriving! I spent my days crouched on soggy leaves photographing mushrooms, moss, lichen and caterpillars and taking breaks to pick blueberries and make muffins. In the evening, we sat around the fireplace and did quiet things like reading, drawing and playing chinese checkers. I'll post more later about the drawings I made while away but for now I hope you'll take a look at my "fungi on the forest floor" set on Flickr for loads more mushroom pictures.

TTFN

(I don't even remember what that stands for.)

I just wanted to let you know that I'm officially on vacation now and I'll be away from the internet for a whole week. I've just finished packing my bags and sorting my travel snacks. I'm all about travel snacks! My big packing dilemma this year was deciding what tea to pack while I'm out "roughing it". I settled on Moroccan mint green tea, mango ceylon and chamomile with a small package of my girliest grapefruit vanilla white tea to make me feel like a lady while out in the woods. I also packed up some anise biscotti for my mother and I to share. It's our favorite by far!

I'm so excited to be on the verge of a whole cluster of days purely devoted to pleasure activities! I've brought a few sketchbooks, a copy of Lenny Bruce Is Dead as well as No One Belongs Here More Than You, my swimsuit and some fine snacks. What more could I want? Well, I will miss my bunnies for sure but hopefully the loons and ducks will keep me company.

photo of our lake view by blue boo boo