Happy Friday! It’s Good Friday for all you Catholics and defunct Catholics out there, but for everyone all around, I hope you’re having a splendid day in Quarantine.

A scene from calmer times; this was (and will be again someday!) my daily coffee spot where I would sit and stare at the cathedral.

If you’re new to this email thread, welcome! If not, you’ll remember my email a while back about Lenten Promises. How have your Lenten promises been going? I’ll be totally honest in saying mine have been taking the back roads… I don’t mean to say they haven’t gone well, just not as I planned! Is that the whole idea though? To notice patterns and accept “failures” in the same vein as successes? As Lent comes to a close in a few days, I thought it was time to reflect.

Back before the world exploded, I found this splendidly calm path to walk everyday up in the hills north of Aix-en-Provence.

So, what happened to my three Lenten Promises?

40 Days of Do Something Just for Fun: I have absolutely made the most of this promise, even during “Le Confinement”, in France. In fact, I believe the confinement of going outside has made the time I do spend outside that much more precious. Have you noticed this? I have a glorious parking lot with full sun which has become my sacred spot for outside time.
40 Days of Making the Same Type of Art - Nude Line Paintings: This one… I followed religiously about the first half of Lent. However, I did get pulled away into other directions with my art. I’m keeping an open mind and noticing why this happened and how I can reincorporate the goal again onto my new path.
40 Days of Talking to People Again: How FUN has it been FaceTiming all your far away friends and family?! Quarantine really opened this up for me and I reconnected with some old and new friends online. I say check plus for this one.

I’m having a grand time in my parking lot spot, where else. What’s your Quarantine outside ritual?

Although the Quarantine has been challenging, I really hope you’ve been able to find some peace amongst the choas. Maybe these landscape oil paintings that I made last month will help you connect with your calm.