This landscape painter's painting muse is on summer break for sure. The paint has dried up on my palette and my brushes stand in the old crockery jars sorted by size looking at me with a blank stare. What's up, they inquire.

I've been at this long enough to recognize a "fallow time" when it's time to take a break. In the early 1990s I had my first large solo show and right after it opened I sat in my studio not knowing what exactly to do. I called my 80-something painter friend, now gone to that great art studio in the sky, and told her what was happening. She simply said, "Even the fields go fallow. It's time to rest."

There's no predicting how long this fallow time will last so I'll clean the studio, go buy a "summer reading" book and just kick back. You can fight nature's way! Ever since the day of the double car crash (details below) in mid-March I must confess that things have been racing along. I'm kind of glad to be having this rest period. Have any recommendations on good summer beach books? Email if you do: justpleinair@hotmail.com