...I miss my mind the most? That is how the saying goes and I think there is more than a little truth to it.

I have painted very little this year. By this time last year, I think I completed eight to ten pieces. I clearly remember the almost feverish need to paint after the November-December lull. I usually feel that every year, but this time- it is simply not there, and I cannot explain why. I do think part of the problem is the cold. My back porch is too cold on most days, and hopefully, the rise in temperatures will help me to become more productive again. By the way- I do not count dabbling with pastels as part of my body of art. When I photograph them, I slide them into a separate folder on my computer.

I heard something very sad last night. Last month and January, the cold killed so many fish that the beaches were littered with dead fish that posed a real bio-hazard in some communities. The cold has severely impacted another population too: manatees. Manatees are an endangered species protected by both Federal and Florida state laws. Sadly, the cold has sickened and killed many manatees and they are starving because the cold killed also killed most of the delicate coastal vegetation that they thrive on. Many of the calves have died due to the severe cold, further depleting the West Indian Manatee's ability to survive as a species. How sad is that?