where did the summer go?

hi y'all-sorry about the long wait for my pearls of wisdom but as the wise people say 'life happens." as i write this i have approximately 43 hours of freedom before i have to go back to work-i know how spoiled i am to have the whole summer off!my side job is really generous with the holidays, but after 24 years i am so ready to retire and spend all my time painting and writing and making all kinds of art every day. not my time yet- i'm hoping to retire in 3-4 years, so for now i have to be content with squeezing art in every chance i get- in the evenings, on weekends and school holidays. last year i managed to get alot of art journalling done-if you haven't tried it i highly recommend it-it's portable,and lends itself to a little bit here and a little bit there,you can use any sort of materials and it feels productive- getting a page done in a journal isn't the same  as doing a painting, but it's very satisfying nevertheless.,that being said i have truly had a wonderful summer, taking art classes painting outside, making a book. i've experimented with different types of art, exploring assemblage(which i love),playing with clay, working in oils,acrylics, water color, pastel, pen and ink and charcoal and graphite ,participating in the weekly color challenge and the creative thursday e-class.(thanks marisa !),the Art Lab's Summer Studio art class and Laura's (sorry laura i forgot your last name but will provide it in another post with a link to your website) class in which we made our own books and bound them as well. apart from making art i became a vegan, after years of ovolactarian vegetarianism and am feeling very healthy and committed and have been devouring books- art books,mysteries,fiction by women authors, &;magazines of every variety.it's been like a hazy glorious dream moving from art to class to reading and i am truly sorry to see it end...but onwards and upwards-fall is my absolutely favorite season and i'm signed up for a few more e-classes, hope to take something at the Art Lab, am looking forward to many long walks,apple picking, plein air painting,visiting friends in new england,encaustic painting and doing a collaborative journal with my daughter who is away at college.we plan to do a few pages each and mail it back and forth .i also hope to finally finish my first children's book and do some more work on my second, and am looking forward to improving this blog and maybe even starting a website.until next time..."time is divided into two rivers: one flows backward, devouring life already lived; the other moves forward with you .exposing your life....For a single second they may be joined.Now..." in the present moment.Pablo Neruda "Ode To The Past...adieu.