Cabin Fever In Upstate New York

[Charlotte Blanchard]

It’s the middle of January, winter has really settled in here in Upstate New York. During the winter months, the routine doesn’t change much for this
Central New York artist and things can become a bit dull if you let them. My world has gotten so small that I am beginning to see art where I am not so sure art exist.



This morning I finished feeding the horses and was walking back to the house with the two dogs in tow when Cuddles the Lab did something which I thought was rather creative. As Lab owners know, Labs always have several balls laying around to play fetch with and release some of their exuberant energy. For our Lab, it’s also crucial to know where all of her toys are at all times. This can be a bit of a challenge when your dealing with several feet of snow. However, she had her favorite green and blue balls sitting pretty out on the front lawn and in her mouth was her favorite red ball which after much thought she placed strategically with the other two. I got quite a charge out of watching her as she figured out the best place for that red ball to go and thought, “Wow, even Cuddles is creating art.” That is when I knew cabin fever had struck.

I am now looking ahead to what Benny, my big old carriage horse, might come up with when he’s outside during the day. I wonder what interesting shapes hay strewn over the snow can take on? Subconsciously, I must be dreaming of lazy summer days, watching clouds up in the sky and guessing what animal shapes they look like. Not that I care or anything, but did you know that spring is 59 days away?