Well, it's about that time again when I abandon my southern studio for the summer and head for a cooler climate. That means I'll be trimming my Etsy shop down to include only those pieces that travel well—larger paintings or paintings on wood and assemblages will not make the cut and will take a breather for a little while.

Where I live on the coast, summer is high season, which I find baffling. Pick a spot in the country, figure out when it's sweltering there and with ghastly humidity, and spend lots of money to vacation there during that specific time. I mean, that seems to be the rationale, and our little community swells to tens of thousands of people. In fact, a report released by the county said 5.3 million visitors came to this county alone in 2022.

During high season, turning left out of my subdivision becomes a challenge, buying groceries on a weekend is a circus, finding a table at a restaurant is impossible without making a reservation weeks in advance. You get the idea. Plus, I mentioned it's hot and humid.

So, you've got the rest of this week to finalize those larger pieces in your shopping carts. And then look for fewer items in the shop along with new pieces created from afar. Stay cool!