Tides, the moon and my work schedule

I was just thinking about the ebb and flow of my work and wondering if I could relate the amount of work I do to the phases of the moon.  Seriously, I realized today that I have periods of consistent work and progress followed by the need to do something else ( update the website, learn something new, read a novel) and then another period of work comes.  Sometimes when I am in the "something else" phase I wonder if I will ever get back to work, but so far I seem to return to the easel.

Sometimes it is encouragement from friends that gets me going again.  Several months ago it was suggested by one such friend that we visit the top of South Mountain for a view across the Santa Clara River valley.  It took quite awhile to arrange the trip, but the friend was persistent and four of us made it to the top one beautiful afternoon.  

Many years ago this fellow's mother had done a wonderful painting of South Mountain from Foothill Road.  He thought that it would be nice to have a painting looking back across the valley.  It was a wonderful afternoon (and would have been even better if we had taken some food).  But as we looked across the valley I wasn't sure I could create a painting of what I was seeing. Having both grown up in the valley it was fun to point out the places that still exist and those that are only part of our memories (like the dairy).  We all took lots of pictures and headed home.

Weeks later I started on a painting and months later finished it.  

I struggled with the foreground, putting weeds in and taking them out.  Finally I decided to just leave a few, to just stop the eye for a moment but not disrupt the flow of the river around that wonderful bend I never knew existed.

My friend took it home the other night to hang on his wall.  

The tide seems to be going out and I need to read a book.