my true love gave to me

In the interest of creating a greener footprint on Mother Earth, achieving a more fit and strong body to contend with Father Time, and providing a pathway for mindfulness and purpose, I have been riding my bike more. But it's difficult to carry groceries, knitting, and packages. A backpack is cumbersome (and for me dangerous) with heavy items. My DH came through with the perfect solution. I have already used them for grocery shopping and package delivery to the post office.

I understand the partridge and pear tree are sold separately.

now it feels like winter

Yosemite, while in the peaceful beauty of winter, gives its hearty vistors little surprises.

I love the way snow covers the imperfections of human marking and scarring of the landscape, blanketing everything in the splendor of frozen crystals.

Days that opened with hikes in the snow and ice, as well as some downhill runs in a saucer, were closed with rounds of backgammon, hot food, and warming drink.

Yes, indeed...now it feels like winter.

prep work

In preparing for winter storms, the wisteria, which had begun its hostile takeover of the roof, got a "crew cut" and {be still my heart} the gutters got cleaned out. That's the daughter on the roof...gravity and I are not on friendly terms.

The dismantling has begun on the elimination of the fire place. For some folks, this would be akin to removing the furnace, but here in such a moderate climate, it's not necessary to have such a structure. Its inefficiency, the air pollution, the wasted space inside the house, and the coming local restrictions on its use were part of the equation we looked at. The entire wall, which is "floating" in the middle of the room, will be removed this spring, opening up the house.

Sidewalks were cut and drains connected to downspouts and the back yard are being placed to exit directly into the gutters.



The destruction, reconstruction, and design are compliments of my wonderful engineering nerd (or as I like to call him: "engi-nerd") husband. He does top notch work and is a stickler for details.

Building, creating, watching items fill up a space in a useful manner has also been in my "engi-nerd's" schedule. Just a note: these "building" photos below have been taken place over this last summer--he's good, but is not able to leap over tall buildings in a single bound. Building takes more time than demolition work. It's an art. Oh, and no, don't panic at the rock and plain cinder block...it's not done yet.

changes in light

Bare trees, having shed their dress of summer leaves used as protection from the heated long days of light, now stand as tall, unadorned guardians over darkness of the longest night of the year. Winter Solstice (for the northern hemisphere) has arrived. Our candles are lit. The drums have been played.

Noel

OUTSIDE,

memory

assumes the silent

sound of night

where

the crystalline vacuum of

dormant gardens may

witness a

warm

cheerful

glow

through

the window

to

INSIDE,

where

the heart finds

nourishment, love, joy,

mischief under mistletoe

and other ways of gently saying,

"Now shorter days can go!"

--David H. Thomas