Today's mantra:

Take a deep breath

Release

Repeat

I remember this place

this spot here on the sand 

where summer days unfold 

like a quiet melody

Colors blend 

from brown to taupe to white 

as the surf rolls onto the shore

Blues and grays meld together

darkening with the depth of the ocean

The wind lifts my hair

birds cry out in a cacophony of chorus

In the distance

ocean meets sky

The edge of the world 

or the curvature of its spine

It's Quiet Here

There's a light snow falling, and I'm one of the lucky ones to still have power. Ice has accumulated here in the South causing power lines to snap and tree branches to fall. We were supposed to report to work at 11 this morning, but due to the power outages, we have another snow day. So I sit here and listen to the calls of birds, the whistle of a train, and the chatter of my daughter as she gets ready for school. (Her school decided to open today).

I'm determined to make good use of this extra day at home. I'm going to straighten up my studio office, maybe work out at the gym, and cook a minestrone. I have an order to package and get mailed today and maybe, just maybe, a book to read. 

I could get used to this.
 

Committed....

The new year was still fresh, the countdown barely over, when I decided to change my word of the year. Instead of 'let go,' I decided to 'commit.' It just seemed right somehow. Maybe deep down I just knew that I wasn't ready to let go of anything. Especially not the letting go of my daughter - the college-bound high school senior who will be taking my heart with her when she leaves next fall.

I did feel the pull of commitment though. And instead of feeling burdened by commitments, I'm feeling energized and excited to be putting plans into action. I'm taking chances, following through on ideas, and waiting to see where it will all lead.

I've restocked my Etsy shop and added a couple of new designs. That plump, shiny eggplant looked perfect in the pottery from Portugal, and the canoes are a happy reminder of our summer trip to Michigan.

Snow Lovely....

I was seeing gray like never before. A gray sky met by gray trees anchored in gray earth. I had decided that winter in the South was not a pretty thing. Barren branches had lost their color giving my world a rather dreary look while friends up north had been posting photos of deep snow, swirling snowflakes, and colorful knits. 

And then it hit. The snowfall that tied up traffic in Atlanta and Birmingham - that had been forecast for us but appeared to be moving away leaving all manner of chaos in its wake - finally reached us. A steady snowfall throughout the night left our landscape bedazzled and bejeweled and beckoned us to come outdoors to see our world in a new light. 

Somehow that white snow transformed the dinginess into a magical landscape. I was reminded of Narnia and the 'spare oom.' I imagined the White Witch with her icy headdress rounding the bend in front of us. 

I really do love how the woods look in snow.
In fact, everything was picture perfect.

It's gone now. This snow.

We've experienced 

within one week

freezing temperatures

and temperatures bumping

up against 70.

But at least we got to see it.

And for a little while

the landscape

was transformed.

It Was a Big Fight....

that snowball fight, but I think my husband won. 

Although she looked a bit unsteady after that last hit, she was still laughing. That was pretty much the end of that snowball fight.