Lowbush moose

Earlier this week I was getting a haircut at a shop in Wasilla, Alaska. As the young woman cut my hair, much too short for my taste but "What the Hell, it will grow back," I found myself studying the face of the old guy in the mirror. It's something I don't do much these days. I used to, when I was younger, more vain and trying to present an attractive face to my better half or potential recruits for that position. In the mirror I saw reflected features similar to those of my brothers and sisters.  That mixture of my mother and father's features that we all inherited. I think they would all agree that my two brothers and I strongly resemble our father and, as we get older, my youngest brother looks the most like him. My father was an Alaska State Trooper. He also dabbled in gardening ,including hydroponics, woodworking, electronics and radio. He also painted, the Alaska native woman depicted here is one of his. Dad also was a prolific writer after his retirement. If you search online used book stores you can still find copies of "Lowbush Moose and Other Alaskan Recipes," as well as his three other cookbooks.  He liked to call himself "a Jack of all trades and master of none." He could put his hand to any task that was required and to a satisfactory job of it. I would say that I am very much the same. But I grew up in a different era than Dad, so I describe it differently, "I have a short attention span." I try a lot of things, get to a skill level that I am satisfied with, boredom sets in and my attention is captured with something else. I haven't got to that level in painting yet. In this internet age I have access to hundreds of teachers on YouTube and millions of images to stimulate my imagination. I am turning 65 years old this month and I'm just barely getting started as a painter.