As the tiredness of the end of summer swings into the soft cloud-covered dawn, I notice a sunflower on the deck and think of a falling sun. Labour Day weekend is approaching. The days are shorter and the nights cooler. On the island, the tension between those who will stay for the winter and those that are seasonal or tourist is palatable. Smiles are slightly tight around the edges of lips between those longing for solitude and those wishing they could stay.
But these tight lipped words are seldom spoken with the tension that rests on the morning dew. If said at all, they are said in jest. Next year will bring another fresh sparkling sun-kissed summer, another brilliant sunflower.
Sprout Question: Is there a shift in your creativity come fall?
Note: Creative Potager has a new page Artist Biography and a post announcing my solo exhibition “SEA, LAND AND TIME.” Please share both as appropriate.
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From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada
Creative Potager 
This is SO strange! I can’t believe you wrote about a falling sunflower and I wrote about a rising sunflower. That is way sychncronistic! We are on a roll, Terrill. I remember thinking in the midst of writing, “But something should be said about sunflowers falling…” and here you went and wrote it in the next breath. Big hugs, Terrill. I would love to sit down with you and have a long conversation…or maybe just sit in silence…one of these days.
I know Kathy. I about fell over when I read your post this morning “Sunflower Rising” Yes a good long visit with a chat and a sit would be delightful. You never know, someday it just might happen.
Terrill – I love the way your words flow in this blog. They swell like a wave, and then recede again, leaving us with a question, like a single shell on wet sand. Beautiful.
Sprout Question: Is there a shift in your creativity come fall?
Because of the change in temperature, we find ourselves in the house more. And it’s a delightful place to be with flames in our woodburning stove cheering us on, cuddled in a comfy chair with an afghan, and pots of hot tea … all conducive to creative writing.
I remember your comfy chair by the fire Laurie from past photos on your blog. Pots of hot tea… writing and reading. Ahhh yes, bring it on! We are ready… even for when the power goes out in the high winds.
So true…so beautiful…so perfect.
Thank you Helen… glad you dropped in.
Well written discription of our island folk.
Love the sunflower symbolism.
I am looking forward to a shift from rock work outside to more artwork inside. I can hardly wait to see my current curved stair and walkway with planters completed so I can get into some smaller projects.
We are getting setup to spend more time indoors as the days shorten. Shirley and I both got Moleskin art journal watercolor books and some new Sakura pens this past weekend when we were in Kelowna. We have been enjoying a website on art journaling that has us both “over the top” excited to get into doing more creative projects. If you are inclined, check out this site and you may see why we are so pumped up: http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/2010/08/art-journaling-week-welcome.html
Sherwin thank you for the link as well as the sprout. I off course had to go take a good browse through. Some great tips on masking your pages to prevent leaks and those cloth bags looked like so much fun! Good luck with the last round of stones:)
I love the transition of fall, the endless potential of spring, and the cool winter days and long nights. however the summer starts out strong and then seems just oppressive. Often it has been to uncomfortably hot to paint. I find it difficult to relax during the long days of summer at the same time productivity is down.
The nights are getting longer every day and the seasonal transition is tangible now.
anything is possible
Yes Jerry fall is one of my favourite times of year too. I seem to remember you are a bit of a night owl and paint after dark most of the time so longer nights mean more painting time.
I tend to paint in the summer… maybe even more than in the winter as I like to paint in natural light. The short days of winter make that more difficult. Of course we have an incredibly temperate climates so summer are rarely uncomfortably hot… at least at our house anyway.
I write and read more in the winter. Words seem to offer stability outside of my internal melancholy that clasps itself to the edges of each short, rainy day – weakly holding the dripping laundry of my thoughts off ground.
Okay! Enough of that! It is still only August. The sun is shining and it is already almost 6:00 pm.
The light in the Autumn can be the same as spring but without the promise of growth. I think on the whole my peak creativety start with the Spring Equinox and rises and perhaps is at its best May June July,
Winter is harder because the daylight is less but there are little sparks and stored memories always come to the rescue .
As always a pleasure to visit this Artist Colony online
Thank you Chris for your sprout and you clarity on what works for you. Always a pleasure:)
Yes! I shift to cooking.
Oh my that is a good shift to make… I wonder what Elisa has planned for dinner tomorrow night?
Beautiful! I Love the Sunflower, and the analogy as well, dear Terrill!
It was 100 degrees here today, but I know that’ll soon shift and I’ll be
able to appreciate the rich colours Fall brings with it.. More indoor time
is definitely conducive to writing, and I look forward to it 🙂
Thanks Antonia. A 100 degrees is way too warm. I write more in the winter as well. Though I just about bought a full spectrum light… and then decided to wait and research exactly what I need first. Good see you hear and all the best with your writing.