My Life & Artwork - August 2020

And just like that - August is here!

As I mentioned last month, it’s been hot, hot, hot here in the Valley of the Sun. Honestly, though, I hadn’t realized just how hot it had been until I saw that we had hit 50 days of 110 degrees or above this year, obliterating the previous record of 33 days in 2011. Thank you, Willis Carrier, for the gift of cool indoor air!

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Beautiful Bartlett Lake

We did finally get a monsoon storm this month, and it was pretty epic, with 60 mile per hour winds that nearly took out the large ash tree in my backyard and caused a couple of cactus casualties in my front yard. Cleanup was a bear.

Much like July, August was low-key due to heat and quarantine life. Lola and I enjoyed our early morning walks, and Aaron and I spent the month visiting a lake a weekend. We have now visited Lake Pleasant, Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake, and Bartlett Lake, all of which are about an hour’s drive from our house. While I enjoyed them all in different ways, the gorgeous scenery at Bartlett Lake made it my favorite and I have officially given it the Best Lake Award.

I got a haircut for the first time since February, and sadly, that now seems like big news. I figured since it had been six months I should get at least that many inches cut off, and chop, chop, chop, I felt like a new woman.

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The prickly scene at Usery Mountain Regional Park

The high temperature FINALLY dipped below 100 degrees and I went to Usery Mountain Regional Park for a little hike on the last day of August. It was still pretty warm, but nice to get out in the desert and see how my prickly friends were doing.

As for art, I had two paintings accepted into an upcoming online juried exhibition hosted by Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop in Tucson. The show is entitled “Corozones Unidos” (Hearts United) and will run from Sept. 12 to Oct. 24 at raicestaller222.com. One of those paintings, Quarantine Queen, was reviewed by the Tucson Weekly and will be featured on the September 3, 2020, issue cover! I’m so grateful to the Tucson Weekly for the coverage and to Raices Taller for their continued hard work to represent local and regional artists. I’ve had the great fortune to show my work with them several times over the past couple of years.

I created five paintings this month, continuing to focus on desert creatures and my neighborhood surroundings. I’ve decided to include more of a description of each painting alongside each piece in this month’s blog, so please check them out below and learn more about the thought behind them. All of this month’s paintings remain for sale as of this blog posting.

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About this painting:

I spent some time this month admiring and learning about hummingbirds, and one of the fascinating things I discovered is that they require spiderwebs to build their nests. These cute little thieves would find their nests coming unglued and their precious TicTac-sized cargo tumbling to the ground if it wasn’t for the hard work of the arachnids around them.

As I put this scene together, I thought about how many ways that we are all networked - from the hummingbirds’ reliance on the spiderweb to the spiderweb itself to the tree roots and the antennae on the mountain in the distance, there’s a lot of give and take to this world. May we always remember that our actions always have impact beyond ourselves!

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Network
10x16”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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About this painting:

I recently discovered that a type of parrot, the rosy-faced lovebird, also known as the rosy-collared or peach-faced lovebird, lives in my neighborhood. I first spotted them at a bird feeder about a block from my house. Now that I’m tuned into them, I have seen them in trees and amongst the blooming Mexican sunflowers. I even counted 19 of them one recent morning!

These critters are native to southwestern Africa but flourish in the Phoenix climate. A sizable number of them apparently live wild in the city and surrounding area. Of course I had to pay tribute to these sweet little creatures in a painting, and dreamed up this scene located in the fictitious locale of “Love Street, Parrotzona.”

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Love Street, Parrotzona
10x8”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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About this painting:

I have a pair of hummingbirds who camp out in the large ash tree in my backyard. They’re such amazing creatures, many of whom make huge migratory journeys. I couldn’t help but envision all that they must see along the way and how those sights have changed over the years, becoming more and more developed.

My tree (which is likely over 70 years old) took a beating in the monsoon storm we had during August and around a third of it either crashed to the ground or had to be removed, but thankfully these wee winged ones made it through just fine. They continue to party out there, getting drunk on sugar water and enjoying their redecorated space.

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Mile Marker 2,265
8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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About this painting:

The rosy-faced lovebird, a type of parrot that is native to Africa, thrives in my Phoenix neighborhood. It’s thought that these brightly-colored birds found their way into the wild here as escaped pets. Ironically enough, they love the Mexican sunflowers that grow in abundance here; these same flowers were exported to Africa as an ornamental plant and fertilizer and are now found in abundance in many locales there. It’s a small world after all.

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The Immigrant
5x7”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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About this painting:

In April 2019, I said “hasta luego” to Tucson and moved up I-10 to the Phoenix metro. I knew I would miss the wildlife outside my door, stunning views, nice people, and amazing culinary scene. Apparently, the javelina decided they were going to miss the culinary scene of my porch and on my last evening in town they had a little adios fiesta and chowed down on my potted plants. This fun and “totally Tucson” memory inspired this painting, entitled Sonoran Salad Bar. I know that salad bars are a big no-no during this whole COVID situation, but I don’t think the javelina care about social distancing, hand washing, or much else other than filling their bellies.

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Sonoran Salad Bar
5x7”, Gouache on 140 lb. Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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My Life & Artwork - June 2020

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The inimitable Bryce Canyon

June is always a time of celebration for me. It’s my birthday month, and I typically try to celebrate to the fullest… eat lots of good food, take a trip or two, see some friends, and enjoy being on this Earth. Of course, everything looks a little different this year, but I did manage to still do a little celebrating turning the big 4-4.

My wanderlust got the best of me, and I took a little road trip to Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah. Bryce Canyon is located at around 8,000 feet above sea level, so the temperatures there are much cooler than Phoenix. The drive was about seven hours, and you’ll be happy to know that over the course of five days, I didn’t eat at a restaurant once and managed to only use a public restroom three times. I never thought I would be reporting on such things, but such is life in the time of coronavirus.

I enjoyed some wonderful weather (60’s and 70’s) and gorgeous hiking. The park was definitely less crowded than it would typically be, which made it all the more enjoyable for me. I also visited Kodachrome Basin State Park and Escalante Petrified Forest State Park while in the area. Kodachrome was a unique landscape featuring an abundance of rock spires and even a slot canyon cave. Escalante was irresistible to me because I have a slight obsession with petrified wood. The landscape there was very different from Petrified Forest National Park and the Bisti Badlands in New Mexico. I visited Bisti for my 43rd birthday, and it also contains petrified wood.

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Ahh, that sweeping northern Arizona landscape, on the way to Bryce

Those creative Bryce hoodoos inspired me to make a little hotel room art, and I created a couple of small paintings while I was there in a brief reprieve from the painting that was my focus for most of June (and part of May), Home Sweet Homestead. This piece was the largest I’ve created in years, measuring 30x18”. I was happy/sad to finish it in time to create one more painting this month, this time on black watercolor paper. The black paper really gives a completely different look and approach, and I’m finding it to be very enjoyable as a change of pace.

The only other excitement I encountered during June was at home. We had new windows and a sliding door installed, a major improvement from 74-year-old casement windows. I also finally got the new studio/office setup I had wanted for months and I absolutely love it. My desk converts from sitting to standing, which really helps the neck strain I experience when painting for long periods of time. I honestly think it makes me want to work more - I call that a big success!

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My new workspace - sitting. New window above my desk and new sliding door to the right; note the trim was not finished yet at the time this photo was taken.

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My new workspace - standing

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Serpentine Shade
6x4”, Watercolor & Gouache on Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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Steller View
6x4”, Watercolor, Ink, & Gouache on Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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Home Sweet Homestead
30x18”, Gouache on 300 lb. Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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Cat Detail

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Rooster Detail

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Dog Detail

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Javelina Detail

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Rattlesnake Detail

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Nest Detail

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The Skylark Umpire
8x10”, Gouache on 140 lb. Legion Stonehenge Aqua Coldpress Black Paper
For sale as of this blog post - visit my online shop to purchase.

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My Life & Artwork - September 2019

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Puerto Peñasco sunset

Buckle up kids, this might be a long one!

As I reported last month, Aaron and I kicked off September with a trip to the beach in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico, a 4-hour drive from the Phoenix metro. We stayed in an area we had not visited that was located to the east of the town, and the beach there was the most beautiful one we have encountered in the area. The tides in Puerto Peñasco are some of the most dramatic in the world, and they were especially so with the new moon in the sky. One night, I watched the water retract at sunset faster than water leaving a bathtub, leaving beautiful patterns in the sand. It was incredible!

The area was largely undeveloped (even our condo building was still being built) and there were no neighboring properties. It was a peaceful getaway, but we did awaken in the middle of the night the night before Labor Day to no electricity. It never came back on. Such is Mexico, I guess! We headed for the border and even with a quite early departure, the wait to enter the U.S. was about 2 hours.

I was accepted into the juried “Share Our Walls” exhibition at the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild in Tucson, which opened September 8 and runs until October 6. The reception was toasty with a broken air conditioner in the gallery, but the show was full of cool works of art and I was honored to have my work displayed along with them.

In addition to the SAWG show, the collaborative artwork that my friend Ursula Schneider and I created was accepted into the “Colaboraciones” show at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop in Tucson. I also received an e-mail early in the month from a collaborative workspace called Industrious Tempe that will be opening at the end of October, asking if I would like to display my artwork there. It looks like it will be a beautiful space and I can’t wait to see my work adorn their walls.

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Me with “La Corona” at the SAWG reception

Unfortunately, I missed the reception for the Raices Taller show because my friend Kalisha and I took a weekend trip to Flagstaff after I won tickets to the Northern Arizona Food and Wine festival . It was a great excuse to get away to the cooler elevations and have a little “girls trip.” We had a wonderful time and I’m so grateful for the friendship of my fellow Louisville to Arizona transplant.

“Fall” began to arrive here, and high temperatures dipped to the 90’s and even the 80’s. My cabin fever had indeed about exceeded its level of tolerability, and I hit the trails. I visited the always-magical Desert Botanical Garden mid-month, took day trips to Payson and Prescott, and hiked at Usery Mountain Regional Park in Mesa.

The trip to Payson included stops along the Salt River, Saguaro Lake, and finally the Tonto Natural Bridge, the largest travertine natural bridge in the world. I had longed to visit Watson Lake in Prescott for a couple of years, and it did not disappoint. It is a manmade lake that abuts the Granite Dells, composed of gorgeous rock formations. I hiked the entire perimeter of the lake and I’m quite sure I’ll be back to do it again and again.

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The always-gorgeous Desert Botanical Garden

At Usery Mountain Regional Park, I spent time really looking at and admiring the many personalities and configurations that saguaros display, and photographed many of them. Four of these characters became my final paintings of the month, a series I’m playing with naming “Cacticatures,” a play on the word caricature.

As I have the past couple of years, I’ve designed a 2020 calendar featuring some of my favorite paintings of 2019 and it’s currently on pre-sale. Sales will be closed after November 3, and I don’t plan to order any extras because I certainly can’t use more than one myself. I anticipate shipping the calendars out to customers on December 1. So, if you’re so inclined, get one while you can.

The 10 paintings I created in September and the photos that inspired them are included following a few photos from this month’s adventures. Where will I find my next inspiration?

And with that, I bid you a happy October! Perhaps I will find some changing leaves up a mountain somewhere. I do miss bright orange and red maples, but the magic of nature lives everywhere in different forms. I’ll appreciate what I have at my doorstep. Cheers!

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Kalisha and me in Flagstaff

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Dawn along the Salt River, with Four Peaks on the horizon

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Watson Lake

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Underneath Tonto Natural Bridge

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Saguaro Lake

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September 2019 Artwork

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“Sonoran Anemones”
12x12”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper
This piece is on hold for upcoming exhibition.

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“Glochidia Generator”
7x7”, Watercolor on Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

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“T View”
20x8”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper
This piece is on hold for upcoming exhibition.

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“Tierra de Tortolita”
10x4”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches Cold Pressed Paper
For sale as of this blog posting - visit my online shop to purchase.

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“Cache”
10x4”, Watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper
This piece is on hold for upcoming exhibition.

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“Adios Amigos”
5x7”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper
SOLD

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Tentative series title: “Cacticatures”
Each panel measures 3x9”, Watercolor on 300 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper
This series is on hold for upcoming exhibition.

Original photo

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Returning to the Land of Red Rocks

On Sunday, I packed up the bikini and beach towel and boarded a plane back to Las Vegas. With my base tan established, I was prepared for more desert sunshine! 

My car had been relaxing at the airport for about six weeks, and I was starting to feel like that was my big Vegas gamble. As the parking lot shuttle rounded the corner, I saw her there smiling at me. What a relief! I assessed the exterior: no flat tires, no broken windows, and no new dings, dents, or scrapes. In the final test, I turned the ignition. Voila! I was on the road again.

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Blooming yucca at Red Rock Canyon

Since my time in Vegas had been pretty brief (and I wasn't sure that my car would be ready to roll on down the road), I booked a few days at an Airbnb on the outskirts of town. My plan was to see some of the natural beauty surrounding this land of slot machines, roulette wheels, and poker tables. 

Monday, I took a short drive west to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The park was full of people enjoying a gorgeous, sunny, mid-70's spring day. I drove the scenic loop, stopping at most points of interest to take some short hikes, snap photos, and drink in the beautiful landscape. I was afraid I had missed spring in the desert, but there was still a pretty abundant sprinkling of flowers to be seen.

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Following my tour of Red Rock, I spent some time on a more typical Vegas activity - shopping. My hiking shoes were ready for retirement, and probably had been for quite some time. After a few tries, I was happy to be able to locate the same type of shoe (Ahnu Sugarpine Air Mesh), which had worked really well for me for the better part of a year. I guess I'm not very "adventurous" in my wardrobe choices! :-)

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Valley of Fire's "Fire Wave"

Yesterday, my trek was a little more extensive. I drove about an hour through sparse desert terrain to the Valley of Fire, a Nevada State Park. I had seen a lot of photos of this park, especially its "Fire Wave," and it did not disappoint. It is home to some really unique formations, intensely red rocks, petroglyphs, canyons, and petrified logs. I drove most of the park roads and stopped at many of the scenic points. Hiking the Fire Wave trail, I saw more lovely desert flowers and made the acquaintance of a few chuckwalla lizards. 

Leaving the park's east entrance, I wound my way through Lake Mead National Recreation Area. After about an hour of the area's varied desert vistas and distant glimpses of the lake, I caught up with the throngs of tourists who were headed with me to see Hoover Dam.

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Lake Mead from the top of Hoover Dam

I can't say that visiting Hoover Dam was anywhere near the top of my list of places I want to see, but it was actually pretty interesting and picturesque. I am definitely a fan of Art Deco architecture, and it's a fantastic example of this style. The Lake Mead side of the dam was pretty surreal looking, with its blue water, art deco towers, and the waterline on the surrounding cliffs. I'm glad I stopped and braved the crowds!

Today, I am doing some work, catching up on things (like this blog!), and painting. I wanted to take it relatively easy since I have a long drive ahead of me tomorrow, when I head south to Phoenix, Arizona, my home for the next two weeks. Stay tuned for more reporting from the Valley of the Sun!

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Desert globemallow and indigo bush blooming at Valley of Fire State Park

It's Cool to be Kind

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." ~Aesop

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It's certainly not an earth-shattering concept.

I probably don't really have to convince many people that being kind is a valuable thing, but sometimes we could all use a little reminder. After being largely alone on the road for the past two and a half months, away from friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances, I've come to realize the impact of actions and words - even fleeting ones - to an even greater extent. 

Yesterday, I was the recipient of two acts of kindness. I had a tire that had been running low repeatedly over the past couple weeks, so I headed to Sierra Vista, Arizona, the closest big(ish) town, to have it evaluated. I figured I had a slow leak, but also thought it was entirely possible that the folks at Discount Tire Store would tell me that I needed a set of new tires and I'd have to decide whether to take their word or not. I had never been to one of their locations, but it was one of only two options available to me, so I gave it a try.

I waited patiently for around 45 minutes, at which point a technician came and got me. I was a little taken aback when he said my car was ready, because they hadn't consulted with me on any work. He informed me that I had a nail in my tire and that they'd plugged it, and handed me an invoice.

The cost: $0.

I'm not sure if this was a company policy or not, but they certainly could have made an attempt to find a way to make some money off of me. After expressing my gratitude, I left, happy that my car wasn't tugging to the right anymore. 

I also needed an oil change, so I hopped over to the Jiffy Lube next door. I know Jiffy Lube isn't the cheapest place to get your oil changed, but without knowing the local operators, a chain offers some sense of reassurance. The guys there were incredibly nice and professional, and then for some unknown reason discounted my service and threw in an extra service for free.

I hadn't shared anything about myself with any of these people, and these experiences left me feeling better than any of the workers at those places could have fathomed. I thought about it the rest of my day, as I climbed to the top of a mountain on a trail at Coronado National Memorial. I reflected on it as I cooked my dinner. I remembered it as I lay in bed drifting off to sleep.

In fact, I began recounting my entire trip in my head, remembering the interactions I've had with people along the way. Admittedly, being social has never come easy to me, especially in an unfamiliar environment. My interactions with others have been pretty sparse, and honestly, I think I can remember nearly every time I've spoken with another human being, no matter how fleeting, since leaving home. I can certainly recall every time they have been kind. 

I hope I have occasionally had the same effect on someone else's day as these people have on mine. I may not be rich, but as one of my favorite sayings goes, "It costs $0.00 to be a decent human being." 

Truth.

In closing, thank you to a few of the kind faces while on the road:

• The hospitable guy working at the museum at Eureka Springs, Arkansas
• The kind Scottish woman who owned the hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas
• The enthusiastic couple who just got engaged on the Talimena Scenic Byway
• All of the incredibly warm, sweet, and friendly folks working at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah, Oklahoma
• The people who owned the house where I lived as a baby and without hesitation ushered me in for a tour
• The guest at the hotel in Roswell who chatted with me as I ate breakfast in the restaurant
• The overwhelming number of people in Las Cruces who were pleasant to me
• The folks at Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument, who went out of their way to talk to me about sites in the area and my journey
• The front desk clerk in Silver City, New Mexico, who upgraded my room 
• The kind couple and their dog who greeted me and chatted at length on the streets of Silver City, trying to recruit me as a resident
• The ice cream scooper in Austin who inexplicably charged me less than full price, and wanted to chat all about where I was from, how my day was going, and my trip
• Sheryl and Doug, Hoosiers turned Austinites, who welcomed me into their home for a lovely home cooked meal, and later treated me to a fantastic vegetarian restaurant
• The kind staff and adventurers at Big Bend National Park
• And, last but not least, the great guys at Discount Tire Store and Jiffy Lube

If I missed you, I promise you are still in my heart! Cheers!

Prehistoric Billboards

As magnetic as the pull is to White Sands National Monument, I kept driving past its glimmering granules yesterday. My car ventured past Holloman Air Force Base, around Alamogordo, and north to a land between the San Andres Mountains and the Sacramento Mountains. 

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I'm goofy. :-)

Around 600 years ago, the Jornada Mogollon people made the area of Three Rivers Petroglyph Site their home. It is not believed that there are any living descendants of these people, but it is apparent that they lived a rich and vibrant life. It is also clear to me that they were a very intelligent community.

I hiked up the mountain ridge along the trail, but quickly diverged from the beaten path. Unlike many other sites of this type, visitors are allowed to wander and explore throughout the area. 

I spent hours venturing from one place to the next, finding treasure after treasure, imagining what life must have been like in this village and what the Jornada people meant when they inscribed the over 21,000 petroglyphs that cover the landscape at this site. There were circles, animals, faces, patterns, and symbols everywhere and I was playing a great game of hike and seek with them. 

I finally had to force myself to stop and begin the journey back to my car, but not before I made the discovery that some of the most striking creations were on the highest sheer rock faces that look out on the San Andres Mountains. Someone clearly knew what a billboard was long before modern humans came up with the idea. I have to say, I like their version better.

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Elephants, Truth, Consequences, and Hot Water

I bet you thought I was writing about the election, didn't you? I think I'll skip that assignment. :-)

Today, I forced myself to power through my Election Day/Night lack of sleep and got out of bed. I headed about an hour north of Las Cruces to Elephant Butte Lake State Park. This park centers around the enormous Elephant Butte Lake Reservoir, which was created early in the 20th century along the Rio Grande River.

I ate my picnic lunch at Elephant Butte, did some hiking, and also a lot of driving around the enormous body of water. My final analysis is that it's probably a lot more fun with a boat, and during the summer. I'm glad I saw it, but I can't say it was the highlight of my travels so far.

After the lake, I drove a short distance to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Originally named Hot Springs, apparently the city changed its name to "Truth or Consequences" after a popular NBC Radio program. In March 1950, the host of the show announced he would air the program on its 10th anniversary from the first town that renamed itself after the program. Hot Springs won the honor, officially changing its name on March 31, 1950.

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Riverbend Hot Springs

In T or C, I visited one of the popular hot bathing spas. Riverbend Hot Springs is located along the Rio Grande River, and features a fantastic view of Turtleback Mountain. It has several pools of varying temperatures. With only whispering and no children allowed, it was a great place to relax, reflect, and get away. An hour at the resort, with towel rental, ran me a whopping $13. It was worth every penny.

I've only turned on the television once since leaving New Albany. I think that leaving it off and minimizing my time online will help me continue to feel the relaxation. It's amazing how wrapped up we get in things that don't necessarily have a huge impact on our everyday lives - if we don't let them.

Peace out, America.

My 5 Experiences in Hot Springs

I left Eureka Springs bright and early Tuesday. I was eager to get on the road, catch some nice morning vistas, and put the 4-hour trek behind me. The morning views did not disappoint. Shortly after leaving Eureka Springs, I had to pull over near Morgan, Arkansas to grab some lovely shots of the foggy Ozark Mountains.

I neglected to fill my gas tank prior to leaving Eureka Springs, and my anxiety level started to build as the needle went down and there was no trace of civilization in sight. I had routed myself on back roads so I could enjoy the Pig Trail Scenic Byway, and while it was full of gorgeous views, I have never been so happy in my life to see a gas station. I drove through a few more (somewhat) populated areas, but all in all, the drive to Hot Springs was extremely rural. 

I arrived at the Alpine Inn in Hot Springs a bit earlier than check-in, but Leslie, the very friendly Scottish owner, was kind enough to let me go ahead and occupy my adorable little room. I was feeling worn out and crashed for about an hour. What did I do next?

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Lots of Art Deco architecture to enjoy here

1. Walked Downtown and Enjoyed the Architecture

Leslie had said it was around a mile's walk to downtown, so after my slumber, I set off on foot to see Hot Springs. I soon realized that while a mile is very walkable for me, I probably should have driven it first to get the lay of the land. I'm not going to get too involved in national political discourse, but I will say that I don't particularly appreciate males heckling or objectifying me, and this mile involved a fair share of it. While it might seem to some to be a harmless activity, the problem with being the target is you never really know if someone is simply being a little too frisky or if their behavior is a precursor to something more nefarious. 

Once I got into the main downtown area, I enjoyed the wealth of historic buildings, walked around, visited the information center for the National Park, snapped a lot of photos, and headed back to my hotel (pocket knife in hand). 

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Not a bad view... :)

2. Hiked the National Park

Wednesday, I got up very early and headed out to the trails of the National Park. I got some lovely morning views as I trekked up the mountain and wound around and around through the woods. I was out for two hours before I saw another human being, which was both peaceful and a little spooky. There were plenty of squirrels, chipmunks, and a deer to keep me company, though. I visited the Hot Springs Mountain Observation Tower, which provided some great vistas of the city and surrounding area. After getting slightly lost on my way back to my car, I finally wrapped up my 4-hour, 7-mile hike. 

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Quapaw Baths & Spa

3. Quapaw Baths & Spa

After a quick shower, I visited the Quapaw Baths & Spa. I had been given a pass by my hotel, so the entrance was free except I did have to buy a pair of rubber shoes for $3. Essentially, the experience consists of four large pools of different temperatures of water from the hot springs - 104°, 102°, 98°, and 95°. Always wanting the full experience, of course I hopped right in the 104°. I alternated laying on a lounge chair and soaking in the pool, and left feeling relaxed. 

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4. Superior Bathhouse Brewery

I completed my relaxation with a trip to the Superior Bathhouse Brewery, a microbrewery claiming to make the "World's First Beer Brewed with Thermal Spring Water." I enjoyed a Belgian Tripel ($2 off for happy hour!) and black eyed pea hummus (also $2 off!). I haven't been eating (or drinking) nearly as much as normal, and I quickly put it all away. Delicious!

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Buckstaff Bath House

5. Buckstaff Bath House

This morning, I woke up early, ready to hit the Buckstaff Bath House for a traditional experience. Buckstaff is the only bathhouse in Hot Springs that has operated continuously since its founding. They don't take reservations, and I couldn't sleep, so I was first in line at 8 a.m. Bear with me because I am going to describe this in detail... I've never experienced anything like it and I doubt you have, either!

I was shown to a changing stall, where I stripped down to my birthday suit and placed all my belongings in a locker. An attendant then draped me with a sheet "Roman Style" and showed me to a waiting area. I don't want to sound negative, but nothing about this is your traditional spa environment - it's very utilitarian. With the exception of the hairdryer in the dressing area, you could truly be in a very different era.

Soon, Mattie called me back to the baths. She had drawn me a tub full of hot spring water and had me disrobe (always back to the attendant) and get in the tub. She gave me two cups of hot water to sip on and scrubbed my back, legs, and feet. Then she turned on the whirlpool (which looked like a giant, ancient mixer) and left me to soak for about 15-20 minutes. This was the deepest, longest bathtub I've ever been in, and it was wonderful.

After the tub, I was wrapped in another sheet and seated on a table. Mattie put soaking, very hot towels behind me and had me lay on them. More hot towels went over my legs and a cool towel went around my face. I was given ice cubes to suck on and left to rest for another 15-20 minutes (I'm guessing on all these times... hard to really know).

Next, I was seated (naked) in the vapor cabinet, which is basically a metal closet with a seat in it, metal doors that come down over your shoulders, and a glass door on the front. I was left to steam for a few minutes with the door open, then a couple minutes with it closed so I could breathe in the vapors. 

The sitz bath followed. Wrapped in a sheet, I sat on the edge of this little tub and slid down in to submerge my hips and lower back. I was also given a stool to prop up my legs while in there. Considering that my lower back was killing me when I got up this morning, I decided that I need one of these in my next home. 

The needle shower sounds more dangerous than it is. Basically, it's a shower with a bunch of shower heads. I was given the opportunity to spend a few minutes rinsing off in there after the sitz bath. 

After that, I had a 20 minute Swedish massage. It was one of the more "no nonsense" massages I've ever had, but it was a great way to wrap up the experience. No pan flute music, no coddling from the masseuse, no fancy oils... just a good, plain old massage. 

I would say that my massage at Buckstaff sums up my time in Hot Springs. Very few people have gone out of their way to be overly friendly to me (except men in cars), but most people haven't been unfriendly either. It seems likely to me that life is not all that easy for a lot of people here. Poverty seems pretty prevalent. I don't want to sound at all as if I am judging anyone; I know that every place in this world is different and has their good points and bad points, struggles and triumphs. This is just my experience in the matter of a few days, and I'm glad to have had it.

I'm headed on to Oklahoma tomorrow!

So, what exactly am I doing?

"Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty." ~Jacob Bronowski

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Lately, I have been asked a lot about my plans for the next year. The short answer to these inquiries is, "I have no idea!"

In all seriousness, I really do have at least some idea. I have a loose blueprint. I just have no clue how it will all really turn out. One of the elements of the adventure I'm undertaking is that I want to be open to where life takes me and be light enough to move along with that current. I also want to become more at peace with uncertainty. After all, openness to the unknown can lead you to the places you never knew you needed to be.

I will embark on my travels in earnest on October 23, and yes, I know where I am headed, at least through the month of November. I'll share more details about that soon. 

So, here's the loose plan for my activities:

1. Be All Artsy and Stuff

First and foremost, I intend to devote more time to making art. I have found it to be very difficult to immerse myself in my personal creativity when I am spending significant energy and time using it professionally. I hope that the beautiful places I intend to see further inspire this work and that some kind individuals will see fit to purchase my creations to enjoy. I envision many days of hiking all day and painting all evening.

2. Contract Marketing & Fundraising Work

How will I sustain myself? I have a modest amount of funds to float me for a while, but I'm also offering my skills for contract marketing and fundraising work with not-for-profit organizations through FansToFunds.com. This will enable me to focus on my greatest professional strengths such as graphic design, creative writing, website development, social media consulting, photography and short video production, and grant proposal writing. Some of this will require me to be geographically available, but a lot of it can be easily accomplished remotely.

3. Donate My Time

In addition to paid contract marketing and fundraising services, I intend to connect with not-for-profits along my travels and offer a limited amount of my services on a volunteer basis. I am excited about both being able to contribute to the great work that is being done by so many groups across our country and the relationships and experiences I will collect through this endeavor. For that reason, I included on my website an online application for those organizations interested in applying for donated assistance. 

Only time will tell what the next year really ends up looking like, but here's to a year of recharging, reinvigorating, and reimagining!