Growing up, August was always the month that dragged on and on. We'd be two months into a long spell without school or noticeable routine, some days would get too warm, and the news channel would be struggling to come up with stories of interest.
I don't think I can say that's the case any more. This August, I've only been lightly keeping up with the news, though I still check it. It's hard to keep upbeat when watching misery and opinion pieces that make you feel cynical. I remind myself that these things come and go in cycles, and all we can do is strive our best to move the cycle on to better days for all. This ties in nicely to the main theme of my piece that can be found in "Lost, Looking & Found: A Literary Salon's Renaissance."
The title of this anthology featuring a score of talented writers from Edinburgh's Literary Salon, released on the 24th of August, feels quite apt for 2021. We all lost something to the pandemic, some more than others. Living is often about losing things, and then looking for a way to either find them again or move forward from the loss. We all yearn to find the things that make life fulfilling and vibrant, be it an animal themed clock or life changing employment.
This month feels like it's flown by, a mixture of distraction caused by mild tooth troubles and possible fatigue from looking forward all the time... So I took the time to look back on some Oil Paintings I started last December. They needed revisiting, and I'm glad to report that I now just need to give them a nice lick of gloss varnish before they are ready to find new homes. I also intend to use the images for a small run of 2022 Calendars. Who said you can't look both to the Past & the Future at the same time?
Keep an eye on my Twitter or Instagram for news of when the Calendars and Paintings will be up for sale on my Etsy Shop. And definitely find a tenner for that quality Anthology - makes for excellent pick-up and drop reading if you're travelling to reconnect with loved ones!