I began this piece on a beautiful summer's day while plein air painting. I had set up my easel in a favorite spot that's lush with water lilies. This particular day there were swans landing on the lily pads and splashing about. I quickly blocked in the sky and the distant shore, then the color of the water and the placement of the water lilies. Small white x's marked the location of the swans. Before packing up I took some resource photos. The mood of the day was carefree. Walking back to my car, I realized it would be my last carefree day for awhile.
My mother's health had been failing for a long time, but I knew deep down inside that these were her last days. And so it was. It was mid October, the first Sunday after Mom's funeral and I wasn't looking forward to going home to an empty house. You see for years Mom spent Sundays at our house. Knowing this my husband wanted to distract me. Let's go to that place you like and walk around. Sure. Although the sun was shining it was windy and cold. As for me, I was busy being grumpy. I walked over to where the concession stand and boat rental are. Everything was closed for the season. I stood on the dock looking across the water where I had been painting that Summer. In the water, moving directly towards me were the swans. Soundlessly they glided to within inches of where I was standing. They hesitated and then swam on.
It would be another year before I could open my field kit and pick up a pastel. But when I did, just like the swans, my muse swam out to greet me. "Mute Swans of the Dixboro Mile" is about what once was and what remains.
