Busy as a Bee

Getting ready to paint (see easel and paints in the background?)
Early morning in Iceland.

Sunlight burning off the morning fog.

Getting a hotdog at Reykjavik's most famous hotdog stand (Bill Clinton even ate there)

Doing my trademark 'Viv Jump' at a giant crater.

I waited and waited for a few minutes to sit and write on my blog today and, now that I have the chance, I can't seem to think of anything useful to say. It happens, I guess.

The wind outside is blowing against the windows so hard, it sounds like a burgler might be trying to break in. Fortunately for me, I know that this place isn't really what a burgler would pick out for a good spot to rob...a little run-down farmhouse in a small Icelandic village.

Today marks DAY 3 of my water painting theme. If I see one more beautiful water scene today, I might just 'heave Jonah'. Three days into it and I am sick of water- sick of tyring to figure out how to paint it, what the value is, what colors go in the foreground... blah blah blah. No more water. Well, actually, I can't say 'no more water' because, according to my schedule, I have three more days of this theme before I take Sunday off and then begin working on another theme next Monday.

It's okay that even though I am sick of water scenes and I still have to paint them- this way I won't be disappointed if a painting or two turns out lousey. My heart won't be smashed to smithereens if I don't paint a masterpiece in the next three days, I'll be happy if I can just keep up this hectic painting schedule without losing my marbs.

Iceland's weather these past four days has been amazing: sunny, warm (maybe even HOT) and all without a cloud in the sky- what perfect weather to paint in. I worked so much yesterday that I ended up with blistered lips from the sun and wind...and a smashed finger. I wear these with pride however- thinking of them as an artist's war wounds.

This afternoon, after working on a hideous painting for a good two hours, I took a break from water (ugh) and worked on my Joe Artist cartoon. It's nice to have another project to work on to add variety to the mix.

So far, I've been in Iceland 10 days and I am starting to feel like I know what I am doing. I ride my bike each day two miles into the town, send out a postcard or two, work out at the gym, and ride back. On the days I don't feel like biking, I'll walk. Swarms of gnats and flies serve as my escourt to and from town. I've grown accustomed to all the insects and whatnot here in the area. I am no longer surprised to find a spider dangling from the door-jamb or to find a small gnat wedged inbetween my sunglasses and my eyeball- it's all part of the bug-infested experience.

Here's a quick rundown of the pros and cons of Icelandic living:

Pros:
Not many people
The peole that are here are friendly
Beautiful scenery
Lots of cheap fish and lamb (I feel bad eating lamb though)
Great fishing
One of a kind weather
Beautiful people
Long summer days
hotsprings and steambaths


Cons:
Gnats, Flies, Spiders
Often cold and rainy
Expensive food (other than fish and lamb)
Impossible language to learn
Can be depressing when it's been cloudy too long
Short winter days
Treacherous terrain
Windy


In all, this place rocks. I'm glad that I have 20 days left. =)

Love to all my fam.
More tomorrow.
Viv