November | 2016 | Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray)

lastbitofgold I took this picture the day before my birthday last week. It was one of the very last days that any of the trees still had leaves on them, and this one was the last lingering bit of gold in an entire field of otherwise bare trees. It had been one of the last ones to turn color and the morning was windy, so I knew it wouldn’t last long. Something about that was so beautiful, and so sad.

Now it’s winter. The trees are bare and we’ve even had a bit of snow. This is always such a strange season for me, and somehow even stranger this year because it took such a long time to arrive and the world feels so … weird. In winter I feel myself slowing down, but in that shift I also feel so many new ideas and plans bubbling up, the next new year ready to be born. I spent the last few days resting a bit more than usual, after a really busy week (semester, year, life), but today I felt myself turn towards Monday. I finally cleaned off my desk after too much time knowing how badly it needed it, and something about that renewed space, clean and free, felt ready for something to begin.

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Sam helps me make a wish

1. Birthdays. I turned 49 and Ringo turned 3. On mine, I slept in, had a lazy morning with the dogs, gave meditation instruction to Susan Piver, video chatted with one of my favorite writers, had tea and cake (with candles!) with one of my best friends, talked to my mom and brother on the phone, and went to dinner with my favorite. Then, the next day was Ringo’s turn. He did pretty much what he always does, but that’s just because his life is already really good.

Does he look older?

2. Morning walks. Because we are both on a tiny break from work, Eric and I get to go together, and we’ve been stopping at the little dog park.

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3. The Happy Holiday Hearth DVD. Tis the season. We bought it originally as a joke, but it’s actually so awesome we use it all the time. I swear I feel warmer sitting in front of it.

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4. Being lazy. I don’t do it often enough, and could learn a thing or two from the dogs, who are really really good at it.

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5. Eric taking the dogs hiking. They love to go and I love having the house all to myself.

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Bonus joy: Thanksgiving dinner leftovers, a new season of Gilmore Girls, clean pjs, Solange’s new album, 2 Dope Queens, four days off from work, quiet, clean water, people willing to risk everything to protect the water, Put Your Hands Together, crying, meditation, sleep, cuddling with the dogs, making Eric laugh.