This is Batman, shoveling the porch roof before our big storm came through a week ago.
Batman, clearing off the porch roof, before the next storm blows in.
Our front walkway, after nearly two feet of fresh snow. Our home weather station registered a wind gust of 53 mph so you can imagine the drifts around here.
The ground level windows in my studio got a drifting treatment as well!
The ground level windows in my basement studio took quite a hit from the drifts, too.
I do love a snowy winter, but I’m not sure how much more we can accommodate!
I had a meeting at the library this morning, and on my way home I spotted this tired guy, posing next to one of the snow plow markers. I pulled my car over, hopped out to greet this fellow and snapped his portrait. Bless the person who made him and left him by the side of the road for smiles.
On the first of February, we hosted our friends L&N for an Imbolc gathering. We ate by candlelight and served cauliflower cheese pie (from Moosewood Cookbook). We raised a glass to the four mama goats snug in L&N’s barn, who will be birthing kids some time later this spring. Halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, Imbolc reminds us of living on the cusp of things. The past and the future. The dark and the light. It reminds us of hope.
We also had the pleasure of trundling into our local music hall to hear Vermonter Ida Mae Specker and her dad, John, open for Jake Blount. Ida Mae and her dad fiddled up a storm and the floor of the venue was thudding with the sound of so many tapping toes. As we all came out into the chilly night Batman and I lifted our heads to the sky as flurries floated down from the dark night. Inhale. Exhale. Smile.
A few nights later, I went back down to Chandler center for the arts to see The Grand Kyiv Ballet perform Swan Lake. The audience was as magical as the ballet…people of all ages, including adorable kids with their parents or grandparents shedding layers of outerwear as they found their seats, settled down and watched the dancers, spellbound. Chandler center for the arts is located in Randolph, VT, and the town has a sister city in Myrhorod Ukraine so you can bet there was a thunderous standing ovation at the end!
Thanks to generous friends, S&G, I have had a break from some of the world’s madness by sitting with our devoted Mahjong group. A few months ago, S invited anyone in our book group to join her daughter, G, who is a professional Mahjong teacher, to learn to play the game. (South Shore Mahjong for anyone who is curious.) Now some of us are deeply enmeshed in this fun (and absorbing) game. Sometimes my brain hurts after we play, but my face is sore from smiling and my heart is full of fondness for these women who are taking a break from the news and sharpening minds as well.
Last night we hosted our friends K&J for a Sunday night supper, something we are hoping to make a regular thing. If we are to survive the challenges of overwhelm, lies, confusion and grief, connecting with friends in an intentional way will certainly help! K&J came up and over the ridge and we had a lovely evening of conversation and good will.
They brought this beautiful bouquet from their flower CSA. From the Raven Hill Farm website, “We grow flowers because flowers spread joy and everyone could use some extra joy in their life.” Indeed. :-)
Dearest readers, loneliness and fear are the enemies of these times. There are many ways to gather…around a table, in a venue, on a trail, in groups of volunteers, in protest, in solidarity, with kindred spirits, with strangers who may become friends. May each of you find ways to feel connected and BE TOGETHER as we wade through these tough times. Hold hands, keep the faith and try really hard NOT TO DESPAIR!
And thank you for bearing with me as I try to stay in touch with you. Squarespace and I have been in quite a tussle lately, and I’ve switched from our desktop to my i-Pad, so I’m still learning a few things.
I would like to welcome new subscribers Juliann, Dee and Laurie. Glad you’re here!
If all goes well, tomorrow I plan to be back with a making and mending post, so we’ll be back to sewing.
XO