TEPEE STUDIO, BEING STONED, PAINTING AND SKETCHING

          Winter has slowly been melting into spring and although the weather forecast calls for snow over the next few days, since it's supposedly accompanied with rain, I expect very little will stick. Many people complain about winter, the snow, the cold, the mostly cloudy days but I quite like it. I suppose if I have any qualms about winter, it's the fact that it seems to take up half the year, leaving 2 months for spring, 2 months for summer and 2 months for autumn. And, where I live, at the base of Green Mountain, bugs the size of WWII bombers that take great enjoyment eating people, exist for about two of the warmer months. 

Sad Looking Tepee

Painting in the Tepee Before I Knew I had Cancer

          I'm looking forward to summer even though I'll soon be having an operation, perhaps two if all goes well. I left the tepee up for the winter, thought it would be kind of fun to start up a fire, put the kettle on and maybe cook something. However, since my health took a huge kick at my ass end, put me into a tail-spin so to speak, I haven't been up to going out for a visit. Because my immune system is on the low end these days, the last thing I need is to catch pneumonia. I'm actually surprised the tepee is still standing; it looks so forlorn out there at the edge of the yard with about 3' of snow packed around it.
          I used the tepee quite often last summer to work on a large painting and I'm hoping I'll be well enough to use it again this summer to complete Cleopatra. The tepee made a great studio and besides, it felt great being outside painting away and listening to the music of the birds! And although there were fire restrictions most of last summer, I always had a little enclosed fire going that kept a kettle of water boiling for my bottomless cup of tea.  (I'd sooner have had a cold beer but sadly, I've had to give up drinking.) On hot days, the tepee was mostly cool but when I tied up the sides, there was usually a pleasant breeze blowing through it. Because the tepee has been in use for around 5 years, the tarp I cut to fit the shape is getting worn thin in places and the poles have weakened, I expect this will be it's last year. Since I never used the tepee this winter, I'm wondering if a family of coons has taken up residency or perhaps a big black bear thought it would be a good place to hibernate, after all, there's some patio furniture inside to lie on.

I was a Little High When I Drew This

          Since I'm not having a particularly good day today, quite a bit of pain to deal with, I'm not sure if I will resume painting. However that being said, the other day to dull the pain I partook of a wee joint and when I told Sarah, I didn't think it was a good idea to work on my painting, she said, "Why don't you try drawing something while you're stoned?" which I did. The result is this pen and ink sketch. Funny, now that I'm looking at the drawing while straight, although there is a lot of symbolism going on, I'm not sure if there was any specific meaning to it or if it was just a mind-altered experience. Either way, it was fun to do...peace eh! Trip

       
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