Monday, January 27, 2014

Celebrate Life


a last celebration as light and life ebbs

a family emergency - I'm helping with grandchildren
my computer time is limited
no further postings for a short while
though mindfulness continues

(comments closed)

Friday, January 24, 2014

Frigid Views



pale blue opacity - icy stalagmites reach for a silvery sliver of moon

small stone

fingers aching painfully from the cold, I took a few quick photos and headed for warmth

this is a small portion of the Ice Castle along the Riverwalk in Breckenridge, taken about 8:30 AM with the Moon still hanging in the western sky 

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Narcissus Blooming



simplicity
a virginal purity
each petal exquisite
a glowing presence 
invisibly gathering 
sustenance



The bulb was such a small, gnarled, ugly lump. Who knew what was waiting inside, eager for release? Who can believe its transformation? Who would guess a winter blooming can give such pleasure?

(I like the roots nearly as much as the flowers!)

Mindful Writing Challenge

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Dappled Light in Winter


on forest duff
a flickering of dappled light
soothes me


Back to cold and snow but still reliving the memories...

Monday, January 20, 2014

Zen Garden

zen garden
the eyes rest
the spirit calms


to have the rake in hand
perhaps before dawn or
just at dusk before sunset
the tines flowing around rock
streams and mountains forming
from the most essential elements
moving slowly, carefully
each moment a blessing
a kinetic meditation


the Zen Garden in winter, Denver Botanic Garden

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Warmth in Winter - Hallelujah!

In the flickering light of winter woods, the Hallelujah Chorus plays a silent loop through my brain. Suddenly, I realize I'm humming along.

  
Denver Botanic Garden, mid afternoon, nothing much on my mind - except a praise song

Mindful Writing Challenge

Saturday, January 18, 2014

What's Your Story?

tickle of dried grass
weak winter sun
warming the pages


Walking through a pocket park in the city, I noticed a young man lying on the grass reading a paperback book. It was a mild day - maybe in the low 50's. He had long haired pulled into a ponytail and strong arms bared to the sun. There was an old-style scooter some distance from him, looking like it was made from a hodgepodge of discarded trike parts. Both the man and the scooter seemed like separate entities, brought together by the light and the sheltering trees. I walked until I framed the photo with both the man and the trike, the globe lights in the background adding a feeling of nostalgia. I don't often take photos of strangers, though I'm acutely aware of them, watching and sometimes listening as I tell myself silent stories about what I'm seeing. We all have stories, some intensely private, others displayed for the world to interpret.

Mindful Writing Challenge

I took this photo zooming a bit on the iPhone which degraded the clarity. I wanted only ambiance.  I like the feel of it, so I decided to make it part of my Small Stone today. (Edited in Snapseed and TitleFix.) 

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Blast of Cold (Or - Blasted Cold) in Breckenridge



Screaming down the flue, groaning in the eaves, rattling the windows, intruding in my dreams, wind blasts against the house. Shivering, I rise silently in indigo light to watch another chilly dawn. (The color rose doesn't always portend warmth.)



I ventured outdoors to downhill ski both yesterday and today. Windchill made riding the lifts uncomfortable even though the sun shone and the sky was blue. We'll take a break from the wind by spending the weekend in the city. It's supposed to be in the 50's. Yippee!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Cabin Fever



snow sticks like foam to evergreens
drifts sculpt the roofline
wind howls a lament
cabin fever



I've been cooped inside for days due to gale force winds and drifting snow. We've gotten over 2' of snow in 2 days. Should be great skiing if the wind ever quits!

Monday, January 13, 2014

Night Snow from Inside



standing in the kitchen's warmth
watching cold needles of snow 
falling through darkness

small stone

(self portrait reflected in kitchen window looking out to the snow)

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Wreath Penance - Mindful Writing Challenge

a scraping sound in the night
wind clanging through metal
long-ago gift from a friend
wakes me on stormy nights

though I vow to remove it
the kitty wreath remains
welcoming each new day
oblivious to weather
(and my sleep)


small stone

Friday, January 10, 2014

Dawn Lights the Forest

A winter storm keeps me close to the fire. Wind gusts are predicted to 75 miles an hour.  Breckenridge is hosting the final Olympic trials for Snowboard and Slope Style.
The winners will compete in Russia (there is a large continent of Russian athletes here). Teams from all over the world converge on Peak 8. Luckily, there's an abundance of snow, but the wind chills are brutal.  Standing to await your turn in the half pipe must be torture. The force of the wind is dangerous to the competitors. These are highly trained athletes, but Nature is having her say. In the end, after all the work and all the training, winning sometimes hinges on luck and weather. 





wind and snow
snow and wind
dawn's conflagration
merely an illusion of warmth 

small stone

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Not All Birds Head South - Mindful Writing Challenge

bundled against cold's brittle presence
vivid splash of color in the forest
my own bright snowbird

my granddaughter heads out to ski
small stone

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Celebrating My Beating Heart


celebrate
only now, this moment
my beating heart

It's been 4 years since my heart attack - I write about it at

Monday, January 6, 2014

The Shroud of Winter in Breckenridge, CO (Our World)


weight of cold
stark bare-bones
shroud of frigid
 cocoons the forest


plummeting temperatures
gusting winds 
frenzy and stillness
winter's tug of war

linking to:

I'm mindful of the cold in Breckenridge, CO. Throughout the month of January, I join with others around the world to write small stones for the Mindful Writing Challenge

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Saturday, January 4, 2014

A Whisper of White - Mindful Writing Challenge


we wake to a whisper of white
 snow sifting, settling, drifting
into cottony silence


be mindful - write it down

Friday, January 3, 2014

Snow and More Snow - Mindful Writing Challenge

in a vast stormy sky, warmth retreats behind a peak
snow clouds ride gusts into town

sunset: winter storm warning for Breckenridge
small stone 
observe closely each day - write it down

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Hope for Winter Blooming - Mindful Writing Challenge


hope
a narcissus bulb
winter sun and water 
white filament roots like anemones in a still sea
two spears birth steadily toward
bloom

(you can join in the fun at any time!)

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

The First Day of 2014 - Mindful Writing Challenge


spot of color in a whitened world

I finished a book on New Year's Eve
The Sweetness of Life by Francoise Heritier
encouraging me to
focus on the simple but inspiring
moments in life

Today:

blustery winds with drifting mounds of snow, pungent kitchen smells 
(pork and sauerkraut slow-cooking for good luck in 2014), long phone chat with a granddaughter (discussing books - I smile with pleasure as we speak), warm vanilla scent of burning candles (to off-set the sauerkraut), a new novel waiting for me on the Kindle, strong black coffee and a flaky blackberry scone tempting me on the chair-side table, fireplace flickering warmth, feelings of contentment and wellbeing, no place to be and nothing much to do

the first day of 2014

I'm join with others around the world during the month of January
observing carefully to write Small Stones for the 
Won't you please join us, too?

(My Book Review Page is up to date for 2013.)

Happy New Year from Waldo!