What Happened to My Vitamins?

What has happened to my vitamins?

  My drive from Central Maryland to the eastern shore area was in moderate traffic. The weather was promising for plein air painting- warm and sunny. Once I arrived in Easton, Md, I searched for available parking on the streets. In  mid-July,”always the hottest weekend of the year” according to the residents, it can be challenging to locate a place in the shade. So I accepted a sun-filled spot on the street. As I left my vehicle and started walking around, I spotted a woman leaving a doorway. She was carrying a tray of food, and she circled around to the opposite side of the house. “Ah, ha!” I thought, there must be a restaurant in this house. It was lunchtime and I was hungry. As I rounded the corner, I saw that the backyard had umbrellas and tables for patrons. People were climbing the front steps and going inside the front door. I followed them and walked up to the hostess. I told her that I was willing to eat outside on the porch, I quickly was handed a menu and told to make myself comfortable. The salad that I ordered arrived quickly as did the glass of beer. Both were perfect because the day was warm and I could relax after my drive.

 After paying for my meal, i drove to the hotel parking lot to check in and move my suitcase up to the room. They had placed me on the third floor and way in the back allowing lots of room for weekend guests that were anticipated. I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around town, visiting the tourism office and  looking at art galleries. Dinner in the dining room of the hotel was tasty and nourishing. With plenty of sunlight left, I began searching for a motif for painting the next day for the “Quick Draw” event. The older wood frame buildings behind the hotel seemed to present promising material for a painting. I photographed and sketched them all the while trying to decide on a good vantage point with not a great deal of perspective issues. Settling on the stained white frame house and the Southern magnolia tree that overhung it, I was prepared to begin work the following morning.

   Starting the day with the usual bowl of cereal, fruit and milk, I opened up my travel collection of vitamin supplements. Surprisingly I spied a gelatinous mass of white yellow and gold lumps in the plastic jar. “What has happened to my vitamins?” I wondered. Then I realized that the heat in my automobile must have been too intense the previous  afternoon. It had morphed the individual  gelatin capsules into one big glob. What a disappointing mess!! I separated them as best i could, ate my food, and packed my gear for the big challenge ahead – two hours of concentrated oil painting outdoors from 10am- 12 noon.

    The July heat was again intense, so that by 11:30 am I could no longer continue painting. So I packed up my easel and carried the painting to the exhibit location to display it unfinished.  I hoped to be selected for a prize by the Quick Draw judge. Perhaps I could sell  my work to an interested collector?.I did meet a couple of artist friends from New Jersey/ New York who were part of the week long main event. Neither of my creative dreams were  realized that day, but It was so exciting to be part of it all.