Spring gives way to a Summer Serenade

The final days of spring into summer are bursting with life. I finally feel like I have a minute to pay attention, to get energized, and make plans for the things that I want to do- for work, and for play.

This spring, Morgan and his father put in a dock and a ladder, finished an insulation project on the main cabin, and addressed all the many things that come upended over the course of our renting season and the punishing winter months. Now the big projects at the cottage are complete and we’ve already had our first renter.

It’s the house’s turn for an uplift! It’s been a long time since we’ve done any significant projects at home and now we are starting to feel ready for all those things left on the back burner. The big plan is to move my studio to the basement, where we’ve cleared and cleaned a large space for construction. We will soon stud out the areas for the walls and put down a water-resistant floor.

The current studio space is already in transition, where we are planning a spare bedroom and in-home office. While I will be sad to lose all that natural light in my studio, on the flip side, I was actually finding the backlighting to be really difficult to navigate while painting! In the basement studio I’ll be able to control the lighting better, and will have more space for large paintings and storage.

In the meantime, work is finally winding down a bit and giving way to scheduled family time. We are looking forward to an upcoming week in York with my folks and then during the 4th of July break we will spend time at our cottage, just us. There are people to see, places to go, and gardens to mend! There are beaches to explore, food to grill, and brunches to eat!

Everything feels new and fresh. My two-week recent trip abroad for work felt like the break from home that I needed. Paros was strictly pleasure- a gorgeous place to soak up the sun and Mediterranean saltwater, grab some zz’s and some much-needed solitude. The residency in Athens (business) was packed with purpose and energizing discovery, accompanying students on museum trips and to archaeological sites. This group I’ve traveled with before, so it was nice reconnecting with familiar people.

From the porch of my Airbnb in Paros, Greece.

There’s nothing like time away to feel renewed gratitude for family, home, and the everyday things that bring joy. Perhaps it also helps that on a national level, there are some wins for a more empathetic political climate. Graham Platner won the primary, and though the gubenatorial race has not yet been decided I’d be happy with any one of the candidates.

It makes me hopeful for the future. I see a shift in our priorities. I see a desire for real change, for authenticity, humanity, kindness, and community. Perhaps it’s just these glorious months in Maine that paint my world in rosy colors…

But it’s the fact that this vibrancy still exists (in nature and people) that we have reason to hope.