A clear, cool day following a warmish weekend. There was frost on our windshield yesterday and also on the grass. Here and there we find trees in full color, while others are completely devoid of leaves. Otherwise, there remains a good deal of green. West of here the weekend color was near peak, saturated and brilliant in a classic October rain.
Weekend before last we drove up to northern Vermont on Friday, heavy rain accompanying us for much of the trip. Overnight the wind came up, and by Saturday morning most trees had lost color, many being stripped of much of their foliage. We were told we missed brilliant peak color by a coupe of days.
The past few years peak has been arriving a week of two after the traditional Indigenous Day weekend so we figured there would be good color, at least in the valleys, when we arrived. The fall foliage season has always been somewhat capricious. I imagine it will become even more so.
For whatever reason, right now writing is difficult, as is working with sound. This has been true ever since we started house hunting way back in January. I have focus one day and none the next. Ideas grab my attention, then disappear before I can do anything with them.
For the rest of the year I am working with an international pod of composers on language based composition. I’ve committed to creating something to share by the end of December. I had hoped to have material when we meet again via Zoom at the end of next week, but that seems increasingly unlikely. I miss being able to sit down and knock something presentable out. Getting my Covid vaccine has impacted me to an unusual degree which has not helped.
While it probably does not make any difference what I produce, I deeply want to have it based on writing I have done and that is meaningful to me. I awoke this morning wishing for a sustainable art and writing practice, and remembering my days as a printmaker, a medium that is largely forgiving of my lack of coordination.
I know I would feel better if I had a disciplined practice but, like Foucault, some aspect seems to rebel at discipline.
Please share your thoughts and join the conversation!