Category: Build habit of Creativity
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Stillwater, Minnesota
Even on a Monday in October, downtown Stillwater was active with shoppers, walkers, joggers, and bikers. I found a free parking lot and enjoyed walking along the riverfront and into some of the shops. The one where I spent the most time had a sign on the sidewalk that read, “Even if you don’t knit, stop in! We are very nice.”
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Fort Snelling State Park
After I dropped off my mother at the Minneapolis airport, I decided to find the closest place to go for a long walk. I did not know that this park was closed for most of the summer. Flooding was the issue. It is located at the place where the Mississippi River and the Minnesota River […]
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Rice Creek West Regional Trail: Locke County Park to the Mississippi River
This day was all about connections. In the past I hiked east from Locke County Park. One of my earlier blog posts is about slipping on the ice in the section between Central Ave and Silver Lake Road. East from Locke County Park the trail meanders back and forth across the creek for a couple miles, joins the road for a bit, follows the railroad track, and eventually meets up with Long Lake Park. On this day I wanted to try going west all the way to the Mississippi and see how this trail connects to the Mississippi River Trail.
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Central Park in Roseville, Minnesota
In the winter, this park has the best walking trails in the area. They are cleared of snow soon after each snowfall. All year round this is a great place for a long walk. There is a nice mix of lakeside, woods, ballfields, gardens, and boardwalk through wetlands. They do not clear snow from the boardwalk, but why should they? The wetlands should be kept natural. It is 1.2 miles (2 km) from one end to the other. If you include all the paths, your total walk will be close to 4.5 miles. (7.25 km)
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Enter the Art Show Already
If you are at the beginning of trying to promote yourself as an artist as I have been for over 20 years now, this is my advice to you: Learn from my mistakes. Enter the art show already. Whatever it is. Do not let fear of how your efforts will appear to others hold you back.
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Maze or Labyrinth?
In my last post about my snow labyrinth, I compared it to a path toward a goal that has many changes in direction but as long as you keep following the path you will get to the goal. A maze is different. A maze has many choices to make and many dead ends. The goal is to find your way through.
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Make Time for What is Important
Last weekend I could not decide on a topic. I started two drafts: “Make Time for What is Important” and “Why I Go to Church”. I did not finish either of them. Wednesday morning I got the news that the worldwide organization of my church rejected the LGBTQ+ community. I was deeply disappointed.
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Show Up and Do the Work
Both painting and hiking are achieved by many small actions. One more step, one more step. In both it is possible to get lost in the repetition of small actions. That feeling of being in the zone of automatic productive action is amazing.
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Paint a response.
Today I struggled with the demons of doubt and fear. Time was wasted. The negative thoughts told me that I am not good enough. They said I deserve to take a break. The demons did not want me to experience nature or paint anything, they wanted me to waste time. If I go through my one and only life without honing my art skills and without communicating my ideas, they win. I am glad that a different thought occurred to me: “Wait. How is it that I am both not good enough AND deserving of a break? I think I will no longer listen to you”.
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Surviving the Cold Snap
A key to my feet being warm was the addition of foil insoles. I do not remember where I learned of this technique, but it really works! I cut the shapes of the soles of my feet from bubble wrap that has foil on one side.
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Como Park
This is the largest, most historic park in St. Paul, Minnesota. It is also the location of a lot of my personal history. I remember going to the zoo as a child. I remember my brother getting sick on a carnival ride. In my 20’s and 30’s I lived near this park and often jogged […]
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Snail Lake Regional Park
As I was walking there today I saw children sliding down the icy hill. Usually there is snow there time of year but it is all melted except for a track of ice formed by the sleds that packed down the snow we had about a month ago. This park makes me nostalgic.
Paint and Hike 