What Happens When You Get "Unstuck"

I thought I’d follow up my last post by sharing some of the positive results of having spent some time in the desert. Recently I listened to the “Three Day Effect” on Audible. I highly recommend. It’s a 6-episode documentary that talks about the benefits of spending at least three full days immersed in nature. I have already known this about myself, that I need regular escapes to the outdoors. But what’s really cool is that there is now tangible evidence proving that extended time outside—that magical number of 3 days or more—can offer so much more than vitamin D! It can open new pathways for creativity. It can help you get “unstuck.” Case in point: I started this 36x24” oil painting of my son Everett, at the beginning of August… so, about six months ago. I really hoped to get it done in t… Read more »

What Happens When You Get "Unstuck"

Hitting Reset: Desert Wanderings

Three years ago, I fell in love with the desert. I took a solo weekend trip to western Utah, and became utterly mesmerized by the abstract patterns in the rock formations and the rich colors of the desert landscape. I quickly realized that in order to feed my soul, I would need to seek out the crisp air, solitude, and adventure found only in the wilderness--on a regular basis. Why the desert? After all, I live in beautiful, sunny Colorado. In the summer and fall I get out frequently for day hikes or plein air excursions. But when winter rolls in, I have little enthusiasm for cold weather and snow (maybe it’s the childhood trauma of growing up in Wisconsin and being forced to shovel our looooong driveway in sub-zero temperatures!). The desert offers warmth during a season when I am most pr… Read more »

Hitting Reset: Desert Wanderings