I’ll share why in the “what I’m working on” section of this post, but it was a big week for me!  So often in creative work, when you pass a huge milestone or complete a marathon task, there isn’t any fanfare.  You just turn in the work, mail it to the client, press the submit button, and it’s done.  There’s no bell to ring or a team gathering for a celebration after work.  You just do it and then move on to the next thing. Over the years, Jeff and I have tried to make a point of celebrating the milestones and victories along the way, but they do sometimes fall through the cracks of busy days. Here are my four things for the week – More of the same, the last overland, when the spirit moves, and crossing a bridge.     what I’m reading I am still bouncing

  Our temperatures have been warming, and the snow is slowly melting, so my regular morning walks are back.  It feels good to get outside and to get more steps in each day.  I used to feel like my days were pretty consistent through the seasons, but I’m starting to learn I have pretty distinct habits and routines for each season.  I get more home projects done in the Spring and Summer (both inside and out).  I do more painting and writing in the Winter months, I read more, sketch, and knit.  In the Spring, I organize and rearrange. In the summer, I spend more evenings outside working in the garden beds and less time at my desk.  It’s just interesting to observe, and it gives me permission to embrace those seasons rather than feeling like I’m not doing enough of a certain kind of work at any given time.

I’ve been sluggish this week, but good and exciting things have still been happening.  We finally had a day with temperatures in the low 40s, and it felt so warm after the sub-freezing stretch we’ve experienced.  We were used to this in Minnesota, but it’s unusual in the Mid-Atlantic.  I like that the snow is taking its time to melt, but it was nice to get out and walk a few days this week.  I’ve been marching inside to get more steps in, and while it gets the job done, it’s a little boring.  Winter is my favorite season, but I do find my mind wandering towards Spring.  It tends to be my most productive time for home projects, and I’m looking forward to making more progress in our yard.  I am also looking forward to the longer days.  It’ll be here before we know it, though, so I’ll enjoy

I went out for a walk yesterday morning for the first time since the late January snowstorm.  It was just over 20 degrees, but it was sunny and ended up being a pleasant walk.  The temperatures in our area have remained below freezing, so all of the snow is still covering the ground and pushed up against the curbs.  It felt a little bit like being back in Minnesota, where the snow falls, and remains until the Spring.  As a lover of snow, I have really missed that.  Snow in the mid-Atlantic region usually falls, turns to slush, and melts within a few days if not sooner.  It’s been a pain for parking downtown, and many turn lanes still aren’t plowed properly, but I’ve enjoyed the snow and cold while it’s here. Here are my four things for the week: Van Gogh, Many Beautiful Things, reckless trust, and book work.

I usually write in the morning.  It’s when my mind is fresh, and the words flow best.  But this morning, as I eyed a ball of cat hair fluff scurry across the studio floor, I decided to get the vacuum, dust cloth, and tidy things up beyond just a quick hit with the vacuum.  I moved everything sitting on surfaces (which is a lot of things), and vacuumed every bit of cat hair and dust I could spot.  I put things away that have been hanging out on the counter or my desk, waiting for a home.  I didn’t get into the nitty-gritty of organizing some of the problematic storage spaces, but I did get the studio squeaky clean, which felt really good. Now, I am ready to write and then paint.   what I’m reading Instead of sharing something I’m reading, I’m going to share a book I wish

I know I have a reputation for being a highly productive person here on this blog, but there are days when I faff about and waste time with the best of them.  I’ve been glued to the weather reports, surfing blankly online, and generally piddling the morning away.  I did catch up with my parents, shipped out a commissioned painting, and varnished another.  But I’ve been avoiding diving into actual work.  I think the anticipation of a significant snow event has me feeling ready to hunker down and enjoy being socked in. Our efforts to organize the garage last summer have paid off, and we’re able to park two of our vehicles there to shelter them from the snow.  Jeff reved up the generator and filled up the gas cans.  I ordered groceries and charged power packs.  I think we’re set. I know this incoming storm is affecting a large

As a reminder, my next original art sale is tomorrow, Friday, January 16, 2026, at 1:00 EST.  You can see a sale preview HERE. This week has been a busy one for me!  I came home from helping my parents on Sunday afternoon, so I had to hit the ground running Monday morning to catch up on things I couldn’t do last week away from my studio.  I’ve been catching up on photography, painting, and other things that require more gear than I could take with me.  It’s been a good busy, though.  There are exciting things happening and a lot to look forward to. Here are my four things for the week: Fishing for Elephants, Drops of God, creative stakes, and a manuscript review…     what I’m reading Fishing for Elephants: Insights and Exercises to Inspire Authentic Creativity by Larry Moore. I read this book a few years

I’m at my parents’ house for a few days to help them as my mom recovers from surgery to repair her broken wrist, so my work has been a little different for a couple of days.  That’s also why this blog post is coming out a day late, but hopefully you’re too busy with life and your own creative work to notice.  I did bring along things to do, though, as I continue to plan for 2026 and prepare to launch some new things. So, I’m doing this and that between doling out doses, rotating ice packs, helping around the house, and confiscating expired medication (seriously, one pack of Tylenol Cold my dad had in his med stash was over 24 years old).  We had a good laugh about that, and I bought some new cold medicine that will certainly be more effective. Here are my four things for the