quietly into the new

It's been some quiet time since Michael left in the VV to ski in Utah for a couple of weeks. Yesterday I visited my friend Ann (age 94) and while I was there a pine siskin, a wee bird, flew into her glass door. It was just stunned but we were able to look at it in wonder together. That was the high point of the day. I love that woman but she is fixing to die, as they say.

Today I went out to visit Howard (age 87.) I'd been looking forward to seeing him since his bday in December so it was a perfect day with plenty of sun... not great for photography due to the sharp, hard light but the sycamores were elegant and I had a wander along Pine Creek to suit my need for beauty just fine. His little dog Calista is on her very last legs so there's another dear creature soon behind that memory curtain.

I don't have a whole lot on my mind. Sort of letting the papers go unread. Watching documentaries. One just now on John Trudell. His life message is about the kinship with earth and this is so personal... 'feel bad when my clippers are dull and I tear a branch when I prune...gotta get them sharpened. And, have a bit of a feud going right now with the guy who uses a high pressure hose to clean sidewalks downtown. He sprays all the cigarette butts and garbage off the curb to be washed into the storm drains to the creeks. I have been putting off going to the city about him but I have to tomorrow before I start my next work cycle. I tried to talk to him and he just gives b.s. about how the people who drop garbage should pick it up... yes, well?

It is the time of squash, chard, kale and persimmons. I'm trying to cut back on my carbs and devote myself more to walking and yoga... thus, I ache but feel good in the stillness of these days and the freedom of just being in my own rhythms... even if they don't exactly line up with anyone else's. Have to watch out not to squander too much more of my precious bio-diesel. Hate going to a diesel pump with my "bio-diesel- no war required" bumpersticker. Best in New Year grace and consciousness to you in the beauty of the season.