I’m back in Austin after taking the summer off to road trip around the Midwest and Eastern US. I visited friends and family and crossed two big festivals off my bucket list (Electric Forest and Lakes Of Fire). It was my longest road trip to date (that wasn’t in an RV) and it was awesome and exhausting and everything in between.

I’m still debating how I’ll write about it all (too much for one blog post!), but in the meantime, I’m shifting my focus to my home, my art, and some big art events that are coming this Fall.

I’ve settled into my art studio and started experimenting with simple compositions and bold colors.

THINGS I’M LOVING

Swimming at Barton Springs Pool – finally!

Adding sautéed leeks to my mashed potatoes for more flavor and texture.

Supporting Austin Wildlife Rescue, a local nonprofit that rescues orphaned, injured, and sick wild animals. I donated my “Twilight In The Heart Of Texas” painting for their upcoming Caring For Critters Brunch silent auction – you can still grab a ticket!

Listening to this two-part series by Hidden Brain which explains how and why we’re happier when we regularly experience pain or discomfort.

…Which is one reason why I predict that A LOT of the people who were stuck at Burning Man will emerge with tons of gratitude for the experience.