Snow Sculpt

I am always impressed and on the lookout for natural structures and sculptures. Those works of art when created by the natural process's of the earth are so remarkable and beautiful. I love flow forms and faces in trees. Ice patterns and tree's split from lightning and wind. Lichen growing on rocks in the shapes of rivers, a glowing geography of the earths landscape in miniature.

Today I saw some very special sculptures that I can't share with you in images but if you live where it snows you can go out and find them.

Beautiful and grotesque all at once the snow that has been built up on the sides of the highways and roads around here, and has been melting. Creating incredible five foot tall statues coated in grass and sand that has been kicked up by plows and compacted by snow. You can find them around mailboxes and entrance ramps and huge piles where roofs have been scraped free of snow.
There was literally so much snow that there were crews out for two weeks after all the snow that fell in January and February using bucket loaders and removing it off the highways. Over bridges it went. There were even the tall sections of sound barrier walls that were removed and snow pushed through. Sculpting and molding snow piles as high as they would go. Stark yellow machines against tall white castles.

Their uniform artwork has mostly melted now, but the chance for the ice and dirt to make their last stand has come. And they are taking the opportunity to show themselves off. Though not so crisp and clear as it was when it fell, bringing us to that magical wonderland of snow filled dreams. The snowmelt now melds what we see into something closer to reality. We are no longer looking up at the sky wondering what the snow will bring, but looking down to the earth, and dreaming of the first crocus's and bouncing robbins.

And if indeed father winter has more in store for us I know I will be waiting for the next formation of icicles on un suspecting objects, and animal prints just dusted on to that magical stuff we call snow.

Bee's To Arrive!

Welcome creatures of the Sun!

Pat assembling a box.

This is the year we are finally getting bee's! I'm so excited, it's something I've wanted for a long time now, but we dove in head first and there is no going back now. The past month I have been working on cleaning up an old hive that a friend gave to me (not always recommended due to the chance of disease, it's best not to take old equipment unless you're really sure where it's coming from) assembling frames, making orders, and doing lots of research and reading. I'm so excited to embark on this new endeavor along with Pat.

I am lucky to have a couple of good beekeeping friends who I hope will help us along the way. Here is a link to a "hanging basket hive" at the Melissa Garden. Prepare to be amazed.

Some new supplies that came in the biggest heaviest box I've ever had addressed to me. Some bee supplements, a hat and mask for Pat, hive tool, and two "deep boxes" the main body of the hive where the bee's spend most of their time over winter, and laying brood, before all those extra honey supers ever get put on.

A Good Trudge

A wonderful friend has reminded me that we all have our unique gifts and talents to share with the world. I have always firmly believed this, and try to act on it, but sometimes it is difficult to wade up stream through the mire of self imposed doubt in ones ability to succeed. Through trudging methodically by snowshoe through the woods and the wind, I feel myself renewed in spirit and purpose. We all have so much to offer to the world, the earth, and to each other, and to do anything other than working towards that goal of full offering, is to deter yourself further and further from what it means to be alive! So thanks for the reminder, and for the firm steps made into fluffy snow, furthering my path forward, furthering my resolution to live big in the world!

In with old and out with old

My year is gonna be THIS BIG!

I hope your Holiday and New Year were either peaceful or eventful or both, whichever works out best for you this time around. Mind found me witnessing fireworks on a street corner, dancing to reggae, eating pizza and chocolate and hiking! Pretty much all of my favorite things wrapped up into two days. I went to see The Rubblebucket Orchestra, went to a couple great breweries, and went hiking, a beautiful entry into the new year with people that matter!

A favorite new years tradition always dies in the early days of the new year...The grand statements and promises made to oneself. Well this year I've take a different approach. My "new year" always feels rushed when it begins in January. Too much time put into other people during the holidays to even begin to contemplate what life could look like for myself in the year to come. So I started back at my birthday this year. Yep, when we are born we are new again so what better time to start accomplishing all those goals and lofty things to improve oneself on the day of days, the day of ones birthday. Here is my list of 23 things I'd like to do this year. I am really good at generalizing my goals like "get better at..." what does "better mean?" I wind up asking myself. Or "Try to mediate more" once again, this is way to ambiguous so I wind up not feeling like I've accomplished what I set out to do, when there was no goal set in the first place!

Here it is:

1.Knit a sweater

2.Write a cooking zine

3.Write an album in a month

4.Learn to weld

5.Go to the Edward Gorey museum

6.Make a dress

7.Go snowshoeing in A LOT of snow

8.Build a headboard for my bed

9.Make pumpernickle bread

10.Create a fancy cupcake display

11.Build a snowman

12.Brew a Stout

13.Go to a show in NYC(Broadway or otherwise)

14.Strengthen Brown Boot Salvage online!

15.Make French Onion Soup

16.Read A Peoples History of the United States

17.Go to Floydfest!

18.Improve my skills in math pertaining to sewing and brewing

19.Try surfing

20.Learn to ski

21.Go to a cidery

22.Kayak in the ocean

23.The last just has to be a secret....

Happy new years....May all of your dreams come true too

Merry Christmas!

The moon is peaking through cloudy weather, and the last large sunflower still standing tall is drooping in front of the window. There are candles burning, a fire going and it's Christmas Day! I hope to enjoy the day today with family, treasures, and food preparation! Here's to the clear day we're about to have, with crystal ice on windows and toast feet in bed. Merry Christmas.

The Flower Fairies

Cicely Mary Barker has penned and illustrated some of the loveliest children's books. As an adult I still love them, and each seasonal book is still lovingly placed out on a table to flip through and admire. Her books have accompanied my growing up years, through each season, marked with images of beauty and delicate poetry in a style all her own. Flower Fairies of the Winter is out now, and here is an illustration of the Christmas tree fairie that is in the book.

I've been working on my ornament collection for about a year now and have amassed quite a few that just appeared, so I spent some time putting those on the tree last night, finishing wrapping, and ice skating out in the open air and frigid winds of the big northeast!

Music Mind

Today I'd like to feature the music of Nik Bartsch and the collaborting quintent, Ronin. They call it zen funk, and I think that is a great description of what they do. I don't even remember where I came across this music, but it's positively magical I think. So creative rythmically and timing wise they make very odd time signatures so effortless in these compositions. This music feels very grey, and very winter and matches the day perfectly. Please enjoy.

An excerpt from their website:

"There are two paths a samurai can walk: that of a clan member, and that of a ronin, a lonely warrior. The former is highly esteemed in Japan, the latter is bitterly detested"