Aftermath

     Well, that's it.  I've been home now for about 3 and 1/2 months, and life has returned to something like normal.  I'm busy.  I have working at the local food pantry, being on the school board, art class, student mentoring, trivia night every two weeks, planning the Sustainability Fair, etc. etc. to keep me out of trouble, but there's a part of me that misses Africa.
     



     Art class is one of my favorite things, maybe because it can incorporate so many of the things I love.  For example, since my return,
I've been painting FROM the photographs I took
while in Africa.  Here's one of my gorillas.  
     












 

      Also, I find myself wondering what I'd like to see if I were to go back to Africa, and I think about the great migrations in Tanzania and Kenya.  So I've also been painting wildebeests.
Migrating.

 



And I read about the prolonged drought in sub-Sahara Africa and found an amazing photograph of the dried up bottom of a reservoir near Capetown (the first modern city that will completely LOSE it water supply THIS YEAR), and I painted that reservoir bottom as well.
     As you can see, no artist need fear that I am going to intrude on their turf, but I enjoy painting so immensely, maybe because it requires me to concentrate so fiercely on the subject matter.
    And spring is in the air, and in a few days time, Scott and I are taking a road trip with friends (and Aramis) to see the great crane migration on the Platte River, Nebraska.  That no doubt will lead to more paintings.  And soon it will be time to start seriously thinking about the garden, and so on.
     SO . . . . . . some of you have been such kind readers, and I
do so appreciate your letting me share my impressions and photos.  My own memories are now so much the clearer for my having committed them to print, and they're much better organized now too.
Many of you have sent kind remarks and comments, and I feel very good about that.  Now I will pause until the next trip comes along.