Back to the Studio in Wasilla, Alaska
Party cloudy skies and moderate temperatures brought crowds for the last day of the Alaska State Fair, and our booth remained busy. It was a wonderful event but, all good things come to an end and now we are home mowing the overgrown lawn and picking vegetables in the neglected garden.
Each morning during the fair I quickly gathered enough fresh veges to eat while working in the booth. Snow peas, tiny carrots, beets, summer squash, broccoli and turnips dipped in guacamole served us well. But the plants are fully mature now, and it is time to do some serious harvesting, I am looking forward to working in the yard and getting ready for winter. The first frost is only a week or two away, and while some vegetables need the frost to fully ripen (brussels sprouts and potatoes), it will do serious damage to the others.
Readying the yard for winter is something I do whenever I need a stretching break from painting in the studio. From the vantage point of my studio loft I can see the lake in the back and the yard and garden in front, and whenever the weather looks nice I rinse off my brushes and exchange them for gloves and a trowel. The combination of painting and gardening works well for me, they both renew my soul, provide a sense of place, and grant me peace.
Gail Niebrugge, Artist in Wasilla Alaska
