Fiddling while Rome burns

Some of the challenges facing me yesterday seem to be getting resolved, but I have to admit I was greatly amused to wake and find a tree blocking our driveway this morning: no chance of running away from the issues!

Luckily a bunch of neighbors came by -- one with a chainsaw, the others with strength -- and together we removed all obstacles.

If only all of life were that easy! But it's a wonderful example of the value of community, of staying connected -- or perhaps just a sign that everyone was bored and looking for amusement!

Suffice it to say that painting has gotten short shrift this morning, although I am amused to report that yesterday's little experiment has proven surprisingly popular on Instagram: 33 likes (high for me) and even 2 positive comments from total strangers; who knew!

So I'm continuing to experiment on the two other little canvases I began covering yesterday. With low expectations, more just -- seeing how things work, trying new ways of applying paint... I even retrieved a squeegee from the garage to see how that might work. Adventures in learning! But all on these used, badly gessoed, tiny canvases, which don't really give a clear idea of how things might work because the gesso sometimes blends in, and the existing textures don't allow for any kind of smooth effects. I find I don't really mind; it's just fun to play -- and I'm needing that right now. Think of it as fiddling while Rome burns...