Absence, Skagaströnd and the Northern Lights [journal]
For the entirety of August, I didn't leave Skagaströnd. On the first of September, new roommates joined me at the residency, and the vibe of the studio changed again. I was joined by a ceramicist from the Minnesota and an illustrator from Helsinki.
A month ago - in the middle of August - Skagaströnd came together for a festival. There was singing, dancing, a huge bonfire. On that day (you might have seen) I did a big, long swim in the ocean.
Lela, the studio cat is still here. There are rumours she might be pregnant.
In the lead-up to September, and knowing temperatures would drop rapidly as we faced the First Frost, I took any chance to swim that I could. Sometimes this meant ignoring the bronchitis that tickled the back of my throat. It'll be no surprise that I was incredibly sick for the last week of August and the first of September.
The start of autumn has brought several days of clear skies, still water and minimal wind. This meant I could take my studio (currently my laptop) outside.
I was also lucky enough to get my first glimpse of the Northern Lights. It was shortly after 10pm and we were drinking at the local bar and restaurant to celebrate my Finnish roommates 30th birthday. We stepped out into the cold and were treated to dazzling green snakes rolling over the mountain for almost an hour.
This isn't much of a journal, but just filling you in on what's happening. I'm writing 2000+ words daily, reading, and looking for monsters in the harbour. For the last few days I was joined by my parents, and I have some exciting adventures to share with you. Watch this space.
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