I've spent many years living in cities all over the world. Racing through life at a frantic pace. Never enough hours in the day. Rush. Rush. Rush.
But at heart I'm a girl with her roots in the countryside, and as I've aged I've come to appreciate the stillness and calm of wide open spaces.
I've just spent a month in New Mexico. I was a houseguest of my best friend who lives on the side of a mountain, in a beautiful house her and her husband designed. It's their forever home, nestled in 11 areas of cactus encrusted desert.
While I was there, I:
- created glass bowls, dishes, and pieces of art in their new kiln
- designed and crafted stained glass friendship feathers
- used recycled materials to create a papier-maché cow
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| My Papier-Maché Cow |
There were plenty of places on their property to just sit, and be. Alone with your thoughts. Listen to the birds, and pay attention to the impact spring has on the dormant landscape.
When we arrived, there was snow on the ground.
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| New Mexico snow scape |
But over the month, the weather warmed up, and buds and blossoms appeared overnight. Watching the gentle pace of nature, reinforces the benefit of aligning with it. And by the end of the first week I'd shed my city-pace, and had eased myself into the slower ebb and flow of daily life.
I'm back from my stay in New Mexico. Enjoying beach-life again in California. I'm looking forward to the end of this nomadic phase, and a chance to find a peaceful corner of the world where every day offers me the opportunity to stop and smell the flowers. And nurture my creative spirit.
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| Kiln Creations |
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| Glass Dish |
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| Fish serving platter |
About Jay Artale
Jay Artale abandoned her corporate career to become a digital nomad and full-time writer. She’s an avid blogger, podcaster, and nonfiction author helping travel writers and travel bloggers achieve their self-publishing goals. She shares tips, advice, and inspiration to writers with an independent spirit at her website Birds of a Feather Press, and documents her travels and artistic endeavours at her blog Roving Jay. Follow her on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter.
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2 comments:
Sounds like a month in the New Mexico countryside with your friend was exactly what you needed, Jay! Connecting with nature is very grounding and healing. We do need to take time to nurture our creative spirits.
So glad you had a break from your regular life and had a month of "time-out-of-time". Even if its only a few hours or few days, time-out-of-time restores us. And WOW! on your glass art. Is this something you've done before?
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