Just when we thought it was over.......

I certainly don't need to tell any of you from the midwest or the east coast (or the plains, west, and parts of the south for that matter) what a difficult winter it has been.  Here in southern Michigan our longing for spring has been encouraged by a couple of days with temperatures in the sixties.  I even felt compelled to turn my horses out onto their summer pasture for the first time this season, which was cause for much kicking up of heels.  And always a sure sign of spring, my lovely neighbors returned from their annual five-month stay in Florida.  Add to this factors such as the sudden appearance of the sandhill cranes for their migratory stop-over, and you'd think that milder weather is a shoe-in......right?  But alas; it is not to be, at least not in the immediate future.  True to Michigan in March form, we are under a winter weather (what?) watch, and slightly further north is expected to get up to eight inches of snow and up to a quarter inch of ice.  I'm. So. Excited.

But enough weather-whining, and on to art-related matters.  I'm considering making some changes to the lighting in my drawing room.  Currently I have natural light from both a north-facing and east-facing window, and am flanked by true-color lamps with an incandescent overhead -- but I often find that by early to mid-afternoon, depending on the sky conditions outside, I begin to have trouble seeing colors correctly.  Upon the recommendation of a friend I've considered investing in one of the lamps that contains both florescent and incandescent bulbs, thereby providing both cool and warm light simultaneously, and am interested in knowing what others may think of that type of lamp.  Any comments you could provide about what forms of lighting work best for you and why would be greatly appreciated.

Finally, I have been asked by a couple of artists and friends about the status of Dust and Thunder.  Following its most recent update, I promised myself I would not write a post regarding it again until it was completed.  Over the next couple of days I am doing little more than the tweaking, and making some value adjustments -- so it is very close.  (Phew!)

Thanks for reading, and wherever you are.......I hope it is spring.