Christmas Traditions

We have always spent Christmas with extended family... scrambling to make the 530 mile trip north, then rushing from one gathering to the next. It was with a surprising sense of calm that I proposed our staying home this year & my husband readily acquiesced. My son was eager to stay home to enjoy his gifts Christmas Day so long as Santa would be able to find him.
I wondered over my impulsive declaration yet it felt right & good. The matriarchs of my family had modelled Christmas traditions for me over a lifetime & I soon realized the brunt of holiday tradition now fell on me... it was my turn to lead the way & pass them along. For the first time in my son's life, he didn't have to pack his gifts away once they were opened. We stretched our gift opening over the course of the day, frequently pausing for him to play. For the first time in over a decade, the Christ candle shone brightly on our advent wreath.

I wanted to show my son, "the other side of Christmas" & planned an outing to distribute warm apparel to people living on the streets. Once assured I planned to bake lasagna for our holiday meal, my brother delivered us a turkey before making his trek to MD. In his usual, generous manner he purchased the 3 of us an 18.6 pound bird! It hadn't completely thawed & took hours to roast...so long that it kept us from our outting. We couldn't go help the homeless because we had too much food! There will be other times, but the irony was not lost on me. As I worked, preparing favorite dishes from all sides of the family I felt keenly in tune with the women who had prepared these same dishes before me. It was a lovely, quiet & slow-paced day, full of cozy warmth & laughter. One in which I confidently accepted the Torch of family traditions & took my place among the women of our family.

Listen to the Forest

The first time I approached this home I was enamored with how it nestled into the forest & towered above the lake. Walking around back, I scanned the scene below & listened to the song of the waterfall as it cascaded into the cove beneath. "Wouldn't this be a great place for a kid to grow up !?! " ~~~ 12 years have passed & the forest is alive with the sound of boys running & laughing, exploring & discovering. We are so very blessed !
Yesterday, my son & his friend prepared to climb into the pool. Without looking up from my gardens I reminded them, "Listen to the forest. It is beginning to murmur & sing." Both boys paused & looked skyward. I heard my son explain, "When a storm is coming, the trees begin to warn each other. One tells another, who tells another... They tell when it is coming & when it is close." His buddy replied, "Yeah, we better wait."
I LOVE that they know that !


The other evening, as neighbors contemplated taking refuge in their crawlspaces, I stood out on our deck storm-watching. I listened to the forest & to songbirds calling out their final warnings. The sky deepened from greys to blues & into the night. Rose colored flashes, punctuated by slow moving streaks of pink lightening illuminated the trees. The clouds darkened & swirled overhead, clearly traveling quickly & in different directions. I actually witnessed fingers of different sizes twisting high aloft. It was amazing & invigorating, but strangely enough, not the least bit scary.

A Bit O' Earth

Throughout the years, there has been much debate over the periodic appearance of floating islands, carried downstream by strong, storm currents. We finally put our hands on one as it came to rest in our end of the cove. With great energy & excitement, we all rushed down to investigate. It actually is a large mat, of naturally woven deciduous leaves, some 5-6 inches+. Tiny plants & trees already grow atop it's composting surface. Freshly conquered by a 9 yr.-old, armed with sticks, she has been christened, "Terra". Even the beaver paused with curiosity, holding his head high above the water, as he passed by. We wait & wonder the fate of the mass, as we watch pieces break off & sink into the miry depths. It hinders our fishing, but it remains a temporary treasure.
I am reminded to work with what God has given us for the time.

Early Impressions

Prior to the last photo class I took, I was to shoot 100+ images without regard to light, composition, balance, etc. This was very difficult for me...to shoot without thinking artistically. The goal was to identify what things attract my eye. What I realized most is that I am attracted to texture...particularly mixed textures. It made sense and yet, felt odd. As a visual artist, I render smooth, gradual shading in pencil, paint and pen.
My brother, Wesley, and I periodically go "grazing" at the store. This is something we don't do often, but LOVE ! We will be gone for hours. We always find ourselves in weird, off-beat sections of the store...I noticed that we will point and look and, "wow" at the same thing at the same time...and it is usually texture-based! I commented on this and he said, "It makes sense. We both grew up in the same house." We are also drawn to the same shells when we beach comb together.

The home my parents chose to raise their kids in was built by a contractor for his daughter, who only lived there a short time. He had outfitted the place with all kinds of cool and varied textures...white gravel, framed in wrought iron in front of the fireplace which was double-sided in a rose, stone wall. there were copper tiles in the kitchen, more gravel in the bay window. Several of the plaster-walled rooms had one wall of a different kid of panelling.Outside there was brick, gray stone and wood. There were fields arund and forests nearby.
It is amazing to me how our surroundings, subconsciously affect our preferences. The youngest of 8 grand kids, I was the only girl. I was a tomboy and was always trying to keep up with my brothers and boy cousins. All the adults wanted to keep me in pink and ribbons and lace... As an adult, this has become my "comfort color"...the color that makes me happy...the color I wear when I want to feel loved or just plain comfortable. Early impressions may be more lasting than we think.
Next time....an array of different shell textures...

The Greatest Generation

On this day of remembrance, I would like to brag on my folks. In January of 1945, my dad was about to ship out to the pacific theater of war. Young kids in love, they didn't know if they would see each other again and were married. (After 64 years, Momma always likes to say, "Well...we think it's going to work out after all". They are still awe-inspiringly in love!)
After the war, the GI Bill enabled Daddy to finish school. His was a generation of engineers that went from glass tubes to computer chips. They were an invaluable asset to the space program. Born "Depression Babies", they went on to attain the American Dream.They nurtured their faith and raised 3 children to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. Theirs is a generation that worked and saved for everything they had and never borrowed against their future. They are honest, hard-working and trustworthy. They have strong moral values, character and integrity. I admire my folks and all that they and their peers stand for and tried to instill in their children.
My folks taught me to honor God, country and our veterans. They always esteem the sacrifices made by a generation of boys and men to preserve freedom. In addition to all our vets, today let us remember and honor the faith and values "the Greatest Generation" upheld. Let us honor them, by following in their example.
(Thanks for everything, Momma & Daddy! I love you, both!)

Baby's Ears

These are my favorite shells to find and remind me of my Momma. I have a special eye for them...tiny and delicate they seem to jump right out of the sand to my eye. I always come home with pockets full of them. The intricate patterning our Creator, God put into them fills me with amazement.

Following the Light

My grandmother used to say that in life, "there will always be peaks and valleys". When I hit the valleys, I try to stay focused on the upcoming mountain top. We all need hope and life really does seem to ebb and flow like this.

God graced me with this image and it is how I have been feeling lately.
In terms of composition, I am a purist and never crop after the shoot. I took this shot looking straight up. I turned it every direction, but came back to the image as it was shot. I especially like the dark, empty spot above the light, and the tip in the bird's head...Is it on it's way to something new? Looking for a new path? Or has it spied the path and is about to take it?

"But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 41:31

Shannon & Solomon's Seal

Up in the Maryland suburbs, these seem to be a nursery item. In my back yard and the surrounding forest, they grow wild. Over the last few weeks,

I have been watching them sprout, rise and open. Teardrop buds, which dangle in a line, under the luscious, sets of leaves are just now opening.

Solomon's Seal were first pointed out to me by my (step)daughter and each time I see them, I feel close to her. One of my heroes, she is uber-mom and all-around, amazing woman! When we need some odd sort of info, the saying around our home is, "Shannon will know". She is an awesome cook, gardener, homemaker , decorator and artist. She is loving, daring, playful, wise, adventurous and caring. If she sets her mind to it, I am certain she can accomplish ANYTHING she desires. When her 8 y.o. daughter had cancer, they were told the child's bowels would have to be removed. Shannon found that unacceptable and found a less life-altering, procedure being tried out in some exotic place like Fiji... Shannon convinced the doctor's to try it and it worked! She is now well into her nursing program, working towards being a pediatric, hem-onc nurse....What an amazing woman!!!
[I am having trouble getting images out of my camera, so pictures of them in bloom will have to wait until later].