Going Outside my Comfort Zone: Not so Bad if Ice Cream is Involved.

I did something new and different today.  I drove to Wellfleet and hoofed it around town on footmobile, approaching galleries to see whether they were interested in my work.   This activity took me well outside my comfort zone.

I'll tell you what happened, but first I have to build up to it.

To fortify my courage, I started out at First Encounter Beach, a place that never fails to inspire and soothe me.  This morning, the tide was high and one swimmer braved the water in a wetsuit.  She told me that she was swimming in honor of her birthday and that the water temperature was in the sixties.  She pronounced it refreshing.

When the tide is that high, the waters of Herring River and Cape Cod Bay met with exuberant clash, waves sparkling and ripples rippling.

My Wellfleet adventure still awaited, but meanwhile, as long as the tide was high, I decided to see some of the marshes in their glory.

Boat Meadow Marsh

Herring River marsh

After fortifying myself with these soothing and inspiring sights, I drove to Wellfleet Center, parked the car, and visited five galleries, showing them samples of my work on the quilt gallery section of this blog.

Here's a photo of one of the galleries I visited today.  My reception in the galleries ranged from noncommittal to polite to interested.  One owner was intrigued by my alternative media:  felting and art quilting.  To arouse intrigue in a gallery owner, I think, is a good sign.

I gathered cards and took notes.  My next steps will be to follow up.

To reward myself for stepping so far out of my comfort zone, I promised myself an ice cream bar from the Wellfleet Market.

Unfortunately, individual ice cream bars did not seem to be available there this afternoon, so I went to Ben and Jerry's in North Eastham.

And then, having treated myself, I went--where else?--back to First Encounter, where the tide was now mostly low.

More than anything, I noticed patterns this time. 

In this one, the ripples seem to be negative and positive images of one another.

This one, and the one below, remind me of the designs on classic pillars.

This one reminds me of stadium seating in miniature.

This one and the one below:  Could be anything.  Fabulous color and texture.

As I slogged through the sand, which was so full of water that in places it buried my feet to the top of my insteps, I heard bells ringing from the tower in the photo below.  The time was about 6 p.m., half an hour, give or take, before sunset.  It was a moment of solemnity and quiet grandeur.

The tower belongs to the Community of Jesus, an ecumenical Christian community, based in Orleans, that lives according to the Benedictine rule.

http://www.communityofjesus.org/ 

As I traveled toward the main beach, I saw that folks had gathered to watch the sun set.  For the most part, they were a quiet bunch.

These folks had a pretty sweet setup.

And the scenery was sublime.

I think everyone agreed on that.