It’s fall, y’all!

The muted colors of fall

And, it’s been a while since I wrote anything. I’ve been busy traveling, trying my hand at other forms of expression like watercolor (long way to go on that media!), Junk collage mixed media, alcohol inks, bone art, photography, and practicing looking at things differently.

Naturally formed heart from the Crystal Forest

The living fire of fall

Today the real chill of fall is in the air, and I have candles and aromatherapy going in the haus-bus, fuzzy socks and a thick wool sweater keeping me cozy. No people about, which I really needed after doing a series of short hops and touristy stuff through Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.

Crepuscular rays across over the bus-haus hood

This summer was a great travel run – revisits to favorite places, investigating new vistas and nooks and crannies, covering Arizona, Nevada, Utah and the heights of Colorado. The beauty that makes up my life is unforgettable and I remain so grateful for the opportunity to both be employed and live this life. In that respect, COVID has been an unanticipated gift as remote work options became the norm. The societal costs though, have been immense. I see so much good, though, in our reexamination of what truly holds value for us, to see so many out in nature, and the beginnings of holding business accountable for living wages.

Signage in Colorado

How do contentment and mindfulness, art and living, noticing and accepting, all come together to create a life of meaning? These are concepts that I have been trying to nurture, smushing them together into one semblance of a life out here on the road. Because my day to day work life is so focused on processes, the crossing of T’s and dotting of I’s, paying attention to detail – the ability to release that side of my brain at the day’s end and open up the other side where creativity and flow live is an ongoing struggle. I contain both, but the key to readily switching from one to the other remains elusive still.

i have learned that I am truly a creature of dualities: romantic pragmatist ; sensual realist; lover and fighter; simple and complex. Opposing sides of every coin. A good friend calls it the face of Janus.

The black heart on the reverse side of the crystal heart

Where do you find your dualities? How have you successfully embraced them?

Collection of heart forms from the past few weeks.

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Musings from the road, as always! May this find you healthy and content, until next time.

~SE from the road

The bus driver 🙂