
On the Saturday after the Feast of the Great Turkey Massacre, at the tail end of November, I did a somewhat disastrous art market. It was a fund raiser for the local cancer care association so at least that mission was accomplished in that vendor booth fees were non refundable.

The day started off well with lovely, if a tad cold, early morning sunshine as the vendors set up in the courtyard of a local Elephant Butte restaurant which proudly flies the cryptid flag.

Mid morning, a razor edged wind off snow somewhere else and intermittent brief rain squalls made things rather uncomfortable, reducing the flow of customers significantly.
The handprinted cloth was only about 1/3 as successful as at this market last year. Such is the gamble of outdoor markets. Most of the year I've been treated well by the weather gods with no serious weather catastrophes and only two markets at the height of summer which I chose to miss because of extreme heat.

The cloth and I have two more art markets left in 2023 and, though I have a lot of stock on hand, I'm printing a bit this week to fill in the gaps. They are both outdoor markets so they will definitely be seasonably cold. More extreme weather could still interfere. Currently keeping an eye on the meteorologists crystal gazing predictions. Gardening and art market vending both depend on the weather.

Essential to get me through these elemental seasonal rigors (read I don't like being cold) and the aches of an ageing body wearing out, is the geothermal hotspring aquifer of this geography. Soaking in hotsprings is another of the reasons I live where I do at this point in time.

The newly renovated East Bathhouse at The Charles in my favourite place to take the waters. Not only does it offer the hottest water in town, but the renovation, which blends both modernist as well as retro in its cherishing of the heritage 1930s colours, tiles and mood, is exquisite.
Some might know the East Bathhouse, as the old "male" side.

There are now doors which latch in place of the curtains, beautifully renovated facilities, and all the bathing areas are ungendered.

Soaking at The Charles is an all round rejuvenating, restorative and healing experience which I am grateful to have just a few blocks away. Yes there are seventeen other bathhouse options in town, each with their own character and style, but for solo restorative soaks, The Charles is my choice. (No they didn't pay me to say that)
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