“In a world that seems so uncertain, in lives that seem sometimes to ricochet from challenge to upheaval and back again, a dog can be counted on in a way that’s true of little else.”
― Anna Quindlen, Good Dog. Stay.
Beagles are a bit moody. They pout, they make you suffer if you change up their routines, they love to eat, and they shed. All and all they are the perfect dog!
***
“It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it.”
― John Burroughs
The sun is out, the air is crisp, and the frost is calling.
***
“Our laughter kept the feathers in the air. I thought about birds. Could they fly if there wasn’t someone, somewhere, laughing?”
-Jonathan Safran Foer,
I finally clean the feeders and fill them with fresh seed and suddenly the yard is full of birds. I recognize, what I think, is the birdsong of a bird that usually arrives come spring. I speak up, telling him/her that it is too early for them to land in the PNW. I sit outside with my camera, the chill of the morning air surrounding me. I relish in it a bit as I watch the birds fly in and out of the trees, their feathers ruffled out to keep them warm. They play nice as they land here and there. They are noisy, but waiting patiently for their turn at the feeders.
***
“The world that used to nurse us
now keeps shouting inane instructions.
That's why I ran to the woods.”
― Jim Harrison, Songs of Unreason
she reached out a few years ago at Christmas,
a card in the mail that made my heart sing.
friends since 2nd grade, we had lost touch,
became mothers, had jobs, homes, and husbands.
but that didn’t mean I didn’t think of her … often
my heart soared again as I opened the mail a few days back.
a friend like this never should be taken for granted,
especially when the world is loud and full of darkness and pain.
how blessed am I to have a friend like this to walk with?
***
***
“But what I hope is this: that you find a few [recipes] that will add to the wonder, love, and sacredness of your life. Those are the ones to follow. Those are the ones to keep.”
― Rivvy Neshama, Recipes for a Sacred Life: True Stories and a Few Miracles
I think about a few of the things that I hold sacred.
family, friendships, nature, honesty, kindness, fresh flowers,
and my morning latte . . .
