When Wanderers Cease to Roam

With many thanks to Cathy (Kate) Johnson and her Artists Journals Workshop blog and book, I discovered Vivian Swift's amazing memoir, "When Wanderers Cease to Roam, A Traveler's Journal on Staying Put."  It was the single book in the Artists Journal Workshop bibliography that I had never heard of before.   I know that other books Cathy Johnson recommends have most often hit the spot for me so with a captivating title, I hit buy.

Bloemgracht, Amsterdam ©

The title resonated strongly for me as a former wanderer myself, although now nearly settling for a sedentary life, almost, but not quite and hopefully not always and forever.

Swift's memoir, hand written in beautiful lettering and drawn with ink and watercolour is delightful, engaging, sparkles with wit and exhibits incredible observatory skill.  Observation is often the key to good writing and good drawing and Ms. Swift seems to have mastered them both.   The little town in which she settled takes on major proportion as she explores each day, each week, each month, imparting the small, the mundane, the simple, the philosophical.

Each month is a chapter and each evening I read and admire her ability to convey what makes a day for one person, and often is what could be my day.

It appears Vivian Swift has a blog and is working on another book, but this time she travels much farther than Main Street.

Green Pond, Sherman, CT ©

As I sit at my large antique desk with a lap top, and view the world outside, I too remember the days, nights, the light outside, the glow inside, the people, the adventures, and the variation of time and place.

Pity I didn't write more of it down.