Writing by candlelight

Sometimes I write by candlelight and it is symbolic, but tonight, that’s not the case. The electricity has been out for about two hours now. We don’t realize how much we miss something until it’s not working or gone entirely. We have become so dependent on our modern way of life, yet, so many have had to do without modern conveniences when wind or water has taken them away.

It is quiet outside, the lightning, thunder and rain have passed at least for now. Many fields were being plowed and planted today and I was glad to see that they were dry enough to work. My wife planted her garden yesterday, a very small one compared to the first ones we put out when we first moved out here over 30 years ago.

I hope tomorrow I feel like painting. This past week I made a real mess out of a painting demonstration. It doesn’t happen often but it does happen. I was painting in some trees on top of the background painting and I was impatient, something you shouldn’t be when you’re trying to demonstrate how to do something, but I was and I did. The only good lesson out of the entire episode is that not every painting you will do turns out good and there are good times and bad times to paint. To know which is very helpful.

I like to paint, I like to write but I don’t always do it with the same degree of enthusiasm or proficiency. Some days are much better than others; some days it is best to do nothing then very little can go wrong. Well, that isn’t exactly true either. Often I write in circles and start out OK then I ramble around for a few paragraphs and I’m back where I started. Maybe I should take up a sport like politics. No … that’s to extreme besides that is a very overcrowded field.

So tomorrow is a new day. I hope it is a good painting day and I can join in the flow of things. Maybe I’ll just cover up the mess I made this past week with some fresh paint. At least my cover up won’t be illegal. In fact, everyone will benefit from this cover up unlike most in politics.

No electricity yet but I think I’ll blow out the candle and go to bed.

Harry Croghan is an artist, photographer, writer and teacher. You can send comments to croghan@dragonbbs.com or call (740) 852-4906.