The early days of August have merely flirted with temperatures in the low 80’s. The heatwaves of May, June and July have lessened. Vermont evenings have dipped into the 50’s. Cool morning temperatures have been perfect for running. Feeling swift-footed instead of slogging through the humidity was a welcome relief this week. Breathing easier too…
Long summer days have been spent working. Meeting art deadlines. Exploring new business opportunities. Marketing inventory. Creating new work. The business of art. At my easel somewhere around 2 p.m. today my eyes shifted away from my painting. Outside the studio my gaze rested on the beautiful unspoiled landscape. Across the emerald green was a striking visual interruption. A tree vibrantly displayed the shades of autumn. Had the blur of this pandemic also negated the date on the calendar? Was a new season already in the offing? Deep shades of red, orange, and yellow will soon settle in over the hills. Fall has begun to reveal itself despite a ten day forecast of summer temps.
A meeting this morning at a local gallery to which I am a new member looked differently from my visit just yesterday. The highly contagious Delta variant courtesy of the unvaccinated has altered our business landscape. Edited signs are beginning to appear at store entrances. Masks that were once and ever so recently “optional” are now “required” by various local businesses. Schools are making their “mask” plans too. The reality of a free, safe, and effective vaccine held all the promise of our breathing a collective sigh of relief but that is not to be. A new heightened season of variant fear is in the offing. Covid-19 safety protocols will once again settle in over the hills. Breathing easier was premature…
“To be a human being is to be in a state of tension between your appetites and your dreams, and the social realities around you and your obligations to your fellow man.” John Updike
