Jet-lagged but Happy

It's Sunday night as I type this. I arrived in London yesterday morning after an 8 hour plane ride from Tampa. I'm getting used to these long plane rides; this was my 5th trans-Atlantic flight in the past two years. I've learned to get myself into a zone of mental stillness during long periods of travel, which leaves me unfazed by screaming babies and nosy customs officials. Being in such a state of mind makes the travel go much smoother. I spent some time today in the countryside of southern England, immensely enjoying the amazing views, the brisk weather, and some good company. There were a few times when I chastised myself for not bringing my camera. I have to remember to always bring my camera with me when I go out, as there always seems to be something stimulating that I will find that would make a great reference photo for my artwork. Being back here makes me remember how much I love England. It's so wonderfully green, has an amazingly rich history, and the shops, pubs, and hotels maintain a refreshing individuality - in contrast with the chain stores and neverending strip malls that plague my home state of Florida. I love the architecture and the distinguished sense of age that permeates nearly every building and every narrow winding street. It's delightful to turn a corner and suddenly drive under a crumbling stone archway connected to the remnants of a building that has long since fallen away. The rolling green hills dotted with sheep and cows are utterly gorgeous, like a scene from a childhood dream. You can walk through these hills and often find no one else around, and feel sublimely alone and at peace with nature. As a child growing up in the dry flat lands and wet swamps of Florida, I always wondered if such green rolling hills even existed anymore. My trips to England have confirmed, much to my delight, that such places do still exist. I know I'm being a bit of a tease by writing about the magnificent English landscape and not showing any pictures, but if you close your eyes I know you will see it.

I'm still jet-lagged and have a lot of unpacking and organizing to do before I get on an art-making schedule. It won't be long before I'm back on track and I can't wait!