Indian Summer Again

 

        Indian Summer Again
                  I
My favorite month of jeweled hue
Crept unnoticed in solemn debut
But homesick summer  meandered by
Visiting long after we said goodbye
Flirting with a show of lush memories
Teasing and soothing with caressing breeze
I couldn't explain the lump in my throat
Resisting some tears as I rigged my boat
The blue and white sail blended with sky
I studied the clouds and let out a sigh
Carillon bells sang a vespers prayer
Notes like golden leaves danced through the air
Sun set too soon past equinox's theft
Trickles of purple faded, then left
Squinting in twilight, approaching land
The vessel now quietly resting in sand
Headed home grateful for time on the lake
Celebrating the last trip this season I'd make
Trying to savor this most splendid day
Wishing October would not fade to grey

           II
Ignoring remaining chores on my list
I dashed out the door; I couldn't resist
The Indian Summer, so tempting and sweet
Invited me to an exclusive retreat
Of sailing at Gifford Pinchot State Park
With just a few hours until it got dark
The surface of lake near-perfectly still
Save for the leaping of bass; yet the thrill
Of setting my sail and tacking away
Knowing how much I needed to play
Glad for the solitude but wishing as well
For someone to share this passionate spell.

Mermaid & Bluebird

Spending a weekend in Newburyport, MA always stirs my love of all things nautical. My college roommates & I toured the Lowell Boat Shop in Amesbury and took a boat ride along the Merrimac River. That was all I needed.
Trips to the many shops in town also sparked my creativity, and since I had my usual art gear with me (as always), a project had to happen.
The local Starbucks there had an art wall with a mermaid theme, thus my inspiration.
Maybe I'll share more pictures and story of her creation later, but it's a gorgeous October day, and I have yard work awaiting.      
She's a work in progress, and the mixed media is on a roughly constructed substrate of ticking fabric- covered cardboard. The background colors were dyed paper towels I had in my emergency art first aid kit. The netting used for her body and the sea were colored burlap-type ribbon I bought in a thrift store. The sequins came from my home stash and had been used to make a dance costume shirt.
Here she is:

1st draft

  I added a pencil drawing of a bluebird made before the mermaid .

with added bling

Bluebird--Prismacolor pencils