•The Photography Studio / From Photographer to Writer
To prepare my studio for the sale, I emptied it in early January. I didn’t sell everything, though. Photography has been a part of my life since I was nine years old. It always will be, so I kept enough equipment to do some personal projects. Shortly after I emptied the place, I learned that the closing would be delayed. There’s still no new closing date. Meanwhile, I’m settling into the structure of my new writing life.
Most mornings after breakfast I write from about 8:00 – 11:00 a.m. My bird, Pickles McGee, watches (and sometimes annoys) me. I take a break, walk the dogs, and sometimes return to writing in the afternoon.
I’ve been working on:
•My memoir – Currently, it has 21 chapters and a title! It now spans only ten years, from age six to sixteen. It’s a story about resilience, family ties, the quest for self-value, redemption, and love. It’s about how you can decide your place in the world, despite what you are told (or not told).
•A new essay, now in its second draft stage. It’s about how letting go of limitations can expand your life in ways you never imagined, as illustrated by my discovering poetry, and my meeting, mentorship, and 22-year-long friendship with Donald Hall.
•A New Bird Painting
For better natural light, I moved my painting studio from our basement to David’s room while he’s in college. I’m currently working on a new bird painting, a wren. I’ve been told I’m a fast painter, but not this one. I’ve had it on the back burner for a few weeks. Here’s an early layer—a kind of first draft. Its shape might be a bit wonky, but I’ll fix that before I get into the details.
•Ice Lanterns
As the cold months drag on, I become less a fan of winter. But one thing has helped: ice lanterns! For Christmas a couple of years ago, my husband, Matt, gave me an ice lantern maker. It’s really just a ridged pail with a lid. You fill it with water, set it on the porch overnight and the next day you flip it upside down. A votive candle in one of these might last all night. Here’s what they look like along the path to my garden shed.
•My Travel Plans
I’m going to see David in Dublin next month. He’s studying at University College Dublin and just signed a lease for his first flat. You know I’m going to peek in his cupboards to make sure they’re full!
