small dogs have the greatest perseverance

from the window of a speeding train - monica lacey 2011

When I arrive in a new place one of the first things I like to do is grab a map, learn street names, and get oriented.  Where I'm staying is a bit out of town, so one can only explore so much on foot - today I got dropped off in town to walk around & experience Picton.  It's a pretty lovely town from what I can see so far - chock full of artists & art appreciators, lots of cute little shops & cafes, and my personal favorite:  a great second-hand bookstore!  It's attached to a cafe called Miss Lily's, the staff of which are very friendly and happily ground my Kicking Horse coffee for me, even though I didn't buy it here.

I'm enjoying my time at the studio - the folks at Sparkbox have been setting a great example of professionalism & community building & it makes me really glad I chose this place to spend a month of my time.  I've even been [slowly] bonding with the small dog (not usually a fan of the small dogs), Rico.  He's been relentless in his charm & is winning me over despite the ear-splitting yelp he emits every time the door opens :)

Speaking of perseverance, I had a great chat with my mum last night about general stick-to-it-iveness and about starting an arts centre on PEI, working as an artist, and basically about my future from this point forward.  I finished the conversation feeling really inspired, and grounded on my path and what I want to do.  She has a way of making me feel like I really can do whatever I set my mind to and I don't know how I'd piece it all together without her support.  It was an important chat to have, as I've been feeling a little freaked out since I graduated.  (Apparently that's quite common?)  Feeling a lot better now - thanks mum :)