Joyful Simplicities

I woke up this morning thinking of all the things that needed to be done today : finish a tucked Roman shade for a job to be installed soon, start on a large valance, finish a proposal for a new customer, address Christmas cards, vacuum up the giant fur balls that are rolling around my kitchen, answer emails, walk the dog, and so on and so on and so on. You get the picture - I'm sure your days are just as filled as mine are with all the things that should be done.

After I gulped down my breakfast and finished the vacuuming, I was heading down to the workroom to work on that Roman shade, when I was brought up short by the scene in my living room. Bright sunlight was streaming through the windows, and one of our cats, Genevieve, was just settling in for a nice nap in the sunshine on top of the slipcovered sofa cushions. So peaceful, so inviting, so beautiful.

9" x 12"

Something spoke to me in that scene, and I decided right then and there to stop my running around, and pause for a few minutes, get out my sketchbook, and paint that peaceful scene. I have such a good life, and I need to pause more often to appreciate the beauty that's right in front of me, the joyful simplicities that are part of my days.