Peaks and Pentagons
I am learning to fly, but I ain’t got wings….
A lyric from the Tom Petty song Learning to Fly. Being a huge Tom Petty fan that I am, this song resonates with me again and again. I just recently heard it and again I got pulled into the words, phrases and visual images that come to my mind. I will ponder on the first line of the chorus..”I am learning to fly, but I ain’t got wings.” What did they mean when writing this song? I wonder if this song is an anthem for doing something new…every single time. Learning to Fly without wings. Learning to do some thing and being a beginner.
No answers, all questions…
Being a beginner is hard and especially difficult when you are older. The self talk can be quite harsh…comments like “You are too old to try something new” or “Why start now, you’ll never make it to that level anyway” or “ What’s the point, it will take too long to learn it”. Over the years, I have managed to try new things and be that beginner. I actually began to enjoy being new at things, well mostly. Learning to fly without wings is where I seem to stay.
One of the recent activities where I had no wings but wanted to learn to fly was hiking in upstate New York. I have hiked before and we love family hiking trips, yet this was different and so much more challenging than anything I have ever done before. This was more miles than I have ever hiked before AND more of an elevation.
Haystack Mountain Adirondack Mountains NY 6.6 miles RT Ascent 1302’ Elevation 2452’
The hike started out like any other hike…not to difficult…some roots and rocks. Definitely lots of mud. There were a few streams to cross, logs to go over and large rock surfaces to cover. Some spots required full attention and were small victories. These spots helped me feel more confident as I kept going. Finally we got to the part of the hike where the ascension was steep. It was physically challenging and something I had not encountered before. I got to a place where there was about a tenth of a mile left. I had to make a decision. The view was beautiful right where I was.. almost at the summit. ALMOST. No one blamed me for needing time to make a decision. Because I was staring at not only finishing the rocky path, but also coming down.
I decided I had to finish and reach the summit. I could not stop where I was. I can do hard things.
I made it to the summit and took this picture of me in tears.
Tears of joy, tears of relief. I made it…maybe out of breath. But I made it. I was so happy, yet now I had to climb down.
The view was worth it! I soaked it in, ate some snacks, hydrated and then began the track down the mountain. It was slow, arduous and more challenging than coming up. Like the next lyric in Tom petty’s song…”coming down is the hardest thing”. I took each step methodically and needed a hand from time to time to ensure my safety. Thankfully, I can say I made it without any injury. We all did. It was a hike to remember for years to come.
I can do hard things. Learning to fly without wings.
Special thanks to my family that encouraged me, supported me and gave me a helping hand on this hike. I could not have done it without you!
One more special thanks to my running partner who helped me run each week this year and get more physically and mentally stronger!
Shape of the Month: Pentagon
Peaks and Pentagons
The mountains called and I answered. Organic lines drawn from love for those beautiful peaks.
Print, color, cut out and use as bookmarks or decorative elements.
Drawing a Mountain
A page in my 2018 sketchbook I found.
Drawing an organic line is my fastest way to create a mountainscape. Simply place your marking tool in your hand and create an imperfect, jagged line that ebbs and flows with the trees and rocks you envision atop your mountain. See the video for an example.
Being loose and free as you make the line jagged is key to making it realistic. It will take some practice, but it is easy and fun.
Give it a try!
These hot August days are coming to a close right as Hurricane Idalia swiped us here in North Carolina. More heat, I am sure is coming while this storm has brought in some nice breezes for a change. School is back in session and I am busy teaching a whole new set of students all about drawing, art techniques and creative concepts. It is going to be a wonderful year in the art room!
Stay creative out there,
Hannah