2009

I am deep in the midst of bringing my calendar for 2010
into being,and as always happens, after a time of pondering
and wondering…the words and images are coming
together beautifully.It came to me awhile ago that I wanted the “thread” that
strings the months together to be the idea of “comfort” and
then soon decided that “joy” should be comfort’s companion
in the papery pages. So, “comfort and joy”. And the sweet
associations that twosome bring with Christmas
and song settled it.

Interestingly, as I have gathered the images
from my old books….I saw a lovely pattern emerge of
birds and leaves and crockery and flowers. Comfort and
Joy. And they reminded me of these photos I quickly
snapped last week when I set my mug down at the
kitchen altar (near the ‘fridge!), to put a splash of
milk in my tea.

Next, my son started playing around with
the photos and added “edge blur” and “antiqued” them,
and tho’ it seems rather like cheating to me…I also
rather like the look…and I also think they are rather
too misty and romantic…and yet…

What do you think?

I will be in the deep and rushing and exhilarating waters
of preparing for my last big show, filling holiday orders and
trying my best to bring all my hoped-for ideas to life in the
next two weeks and probably won’t allow myself the comfort
and joy of posting here, but there will be other sorts of
both, I know. And I wish the same for you.

I had just five of eighty bundles of Christmas
cards wrapped and sealed with sealing wax,
when the power went out yesterday. 

Fortunately, just a half an hour before,
we had filled water jugs and animal bowls,
and the porch was already stacked with wood
(thanks to beloved husband). So it was an easy thing
to light a few candles and add another log to the
woodstove fire and decide how to the spend the
newly-quiet and simplified evening.

I had grand thoughts of continuing with the
making-of-things….but candlelight and lamplight
are not what they used to be to these older eyes of mine.
So, after a simple supper of cheese and apples and crackers,
I decided it was a good time to go through another of the piles
of books that are still dotting our home-landscape.
In our very first stack we came across a little paperback
of “lost words” that I had bought long ago
at a used bookstore, but had never read.

My son opened the book and we were
off on word-journey that had us looking at each
other in delight over and over again when we learned that
our “low-bred” dog could be called a “trundle-tail” and that
the state of lethargy that the warm woodstove and dim
surroundings caused in us could be named “slumy”. We are
just longing, now, for the right circumstances to come along so
that we may call an “insignificant creature” a “whifling”. When
our minds were filled to overflowing with the wondrous words,
we turned to the pleasures of reading aloud and music. Do
try to have a musician in the house when the power goes
out…it makes the time passing so sweet.

And now it is morning, and we have oatmeal bubbling
on the campstove, the generator keeping the refrigerator
just cold enough to be safe and I am looking forward to
some hours ahead with paste and paper and string.
With thoughts for those who aren’t so comfortable
when the lights go out, gratitude that we are, and
wishes for all of you that “the blessing of light be
on you…light without and light within.”

P.S. Wouldn’t you know that as I was adding
the last photo to this post, the electricity came
back on? Rats…sort of. But while the rain continues
to lash and blow outside, we will continue to light
candles and add wood to the fire…even if we
don’t have to.