Another Rainy Sunday

Still not feeling up to par. I'm pretty sure I need to get excited about a new project to turn my mood around. In the mean time, I put another puzzle together and caught up on a bunch of recorded Colbert episodes.

Earlier in the day, I received a text from an old friend, asking how I'm doing. I replied with a nice newsy text, and asked him the same question. He said, "I'm am MAD about most things these days." 

That's all he said. 

What? Why bother hailing me, then?

So, yeah. I'm not feeling up to par.

Guitars and Yarn

Two things I often like to play with in my down time, guitars and yarn. But I wasn't feeling so good today, so I spent the entire day putting these two old favorite jigsaw puzzles together while watching my YouTube playlist. 

I'm feeling better tonight, so I hope I can return to my honey-do list tomorrow. I had a lot planned for this weekend, but life had other ideas.

Rocky Road

This sidewalk was strewn with gravel. In the harsh afternoon light, the shadows were playing beside the bits of rock.

So I got down low to take a better look.

I took these somewhat out-of-focus pictures last Fall, but didn't edit them because I wasn't sure there was a photograph worth editing here. I'm still not sure, but I also couldn't get myself to throw them out. So I figured I might as well use them. What do you think?

Singing in the Rain

 

Primordial

 

Two Happy Sticks

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, right? 

In 2021, I'm attempting a new activity. Here' the first in my series Try It Too-sday. 

Using an image that catches my eye, 

From Instagram user sageonascreen

I'll re-create it my way!

#tryittoosday

Tonight's Sunset

 The flock of geese made an appearance just as I was photographing the sunset from my Studio window.

Such An Honor!

One of my photos from 2020 won a spot in Nick Kelsh's TOP 50 FAN PHOTOS OF 2020!

#44. Margaret Davaz

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Nick's comments:

I so appreciated Margaret’s subject matter here.

Sparrows strike me as greatly under appreciated. (Also there are so many different kinds of sparrows. All I know about them is that the white throated sparrow says Old Tom Peabody, Peabody, Peabody.)

But sparrows are definitely among the most accomplished singers in the bird world. They are not just brown and drab. They can change the entire experience of being outside if you listen for them.

So hooray for sparrows and hooray for Margaret’s photograph.

My response?

Oh, my gosh!

I saw the email right after I awoke, before I even got out of bed. I scurried to the computer so I could look at the top photos on the big screen. I love our community so much, and was eager to see some of my favorite photos again. The caliber of images is through the roof.

I NEVER thought I’d see one of my photos in the collection this year. I only submitted a handful of photos in 2020 because, you know, 2020 meant a lot of isolation. Even more rare was to pick up my “big girl camera.” Rarer still, my telephoto lens.

In fact, this photo is from the ONLY day in 2020 that I picked up that lens. It was during the fire season here in Oregon, so the sky was a weird color from all the smoke and it was impossible to breathe outside. I was looking through the second floor window in my studio when I saw this bird in the neighbor’s tree that peeks over our fence. The birds disappeared because of the fire, but this one peeked out for a few minutes.

Thank you, Nick, for believing in me all these years. Thank you for believing my photo belongs here with the best.

And Nick replied:

Hey, Margaret, way to go and keep plugging away all these years making these photographs that jump out like this. Really sweet.

Kirk Park

Last weekend's outing with Jodie was such a pleasure, even with all the mud. The forest was serene, nestled beneath the rainclouds. 

Lots of hairy moss hung from branches.

We even found a geocache. We'll need to return to clean out the container, add some swag, and sign the log. We were without our caching gear that day.

 It is a bit weird to hike while wearing masks. But it's the safest way for us to be around each other for now.

The North Side

 Lush

Green

Moss

Click for larger image

The woods are lovely, dark and deep ...

Fungi

Jodie and I found these gorgeous orange "petals" deep in the forest.

It's soothing to be in the quiet among the trees, and find gems hidden there.

Click for larger image

And yes, we did hug some trees!

A New Day

 President Joseph R. Biden

Grandbaby Chat

Mimi was having some fun during Grandbaby Chat this week. 

Melody laughed right away. Annie wasn't sure what to make of it at first, then had a full-body giggle.

video chat photo

This vaccine can't get here soon enough for me. Dale and I are so looking forward to spending time with Julie's family again!

Reflections

Jodie and I got together for a short hike on this cloudy day at Kirk Park, an area of protected wetlands. It's the first time we explored this lovely park. The trail was nice and muddy today. 

I'll share some of my photos over the next few days. Here's a beautiful shot Jodie took of a tree gazing at its reflection in the lake.

Mid-January Babes

It may take a few more years before I get used to signs of Spring in January. In north Idaho, where I lived for over 30 years, I wouldn't see crocus shoots until March! But in Oregon ... lookie here!

The daffodil bulbs Jeanne and I planted on November 24 are already pushing up through the bark!

I do so love living here!

My 2021 Story

For the last week, I participated in a writing workshop called Write Your New Story 2021 hosted by Sheri Salata (author, podcaster, and Oprah's former executive producer). The workshop was held online. We had a daily syllabus, a daily live talk with guests where participants could ask questions (I watched the recorded version), and some homework. Participants met in a private Facebook group where we were encouraged to share our homework and photographs. 

The stories that emerged from participants all over the world blew me away. There we shared our "what was 2020 to you" stories, our "what's your life like right now" stories, our shame stories that keep us frozen, holding us back from moving forward in critical segments of our lives. We shared our hopes, we shared the names of the people who love us that we can count on, and we shared the words we plan to use every day to formulate a new story for ourselves in the coming year. We learned the concept of wabi sabi: perfectly imperfect. Then we imagined how we can wabi sabi our life -- how we can take the hard parts and make them beautiful. We wrote about the points in our lives where we ran up against a big NO, that stopped us in our tracks and made us change course.

I think I put in about four hours per day on this workshop. It was well worth it.

Our final assignment was to write our new story for 2021. What is our next right dream? Incorporating the 10 words we chose earlier in the week, we were instructed to write a short story to describe our lives in 2021. Then we were to put  up a photo of ourselves at our "sassy" best.

While writing, I figured I'd share my Day 5 story with the other workshop participants, but otherwise keep it to myself. However, some of my words for this class were courageous, brave, and confidence. With that in mind, I've decided to share my 2021 story here. After all, personal writing can be counted as one of my my 21 Goals in 2021 ... try 21 new artforms.

==========

Sassy!

For 2021, I don’t have one next right dream. I never have. I have a lot of curiosity. I’m interested in many, many intellectual endeavors, paths of emotional growth, and artistic activities. My interests change with the seasons and chapters of my life. But I don’t have one big passion, one next right dream. I’ve searched. I’ve prayed. I’ve read. I’ve followed thought leaders. When I’m told to “follow my passion” or my “one next right dream,” I end up feeling like a failure. Failing at life because I’m 63 and still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. That’s a fractured place in my life. 

So how do I wabi sabi this?

Elizabeth Gilbert says, some of us are hummingbirds. We follow our curiosity. We flit from bud to bud, tasting the nectar, helping to pollinate flowers that will grow into fruit. So that’s what I do. I follow my curiosity. I flit from artform to artform. I don’t worry about selling any of it. I’m not about producing and inventory and marketing and selling and business. I’m about creating and being in flow in the midst of my activity.

Here’s my wabi sabi plan:

Keep doing what I’ve been doing for over 15 years. I already publish daily on my blog, shining a light on these flowers in my life. My blog, Studio Window, is chalk full of words and images of the places curiosity has taken me. All the little broken places that, when a light or a macro lens focuses on them, reveal their beauty. Sometimes it’s ugly-pretty. Many times it’s mundane. Occasionally I get brave and reveal some of the secrets of my soul.

My 2021 story is that I don’t need one specific purpose. I need to confidently and bravely explore my community, to figure out the logistics when they trip me up, to gradually make connections and friendships. I plan to shine a light on that which lights me up. Yesterday I started a second blog (it’s not live yet). My plan is to shine a light on, and take photographs of, the enchanting things I see in my new community. My charmed, wonky story, told through images.

That new start is enough for now.

 

House Movers

On Thursday evening, Dale and I put this 300 piece jigsaw puzzle together while watching the news. This size puzzle is just enough to get a quick fix without having to put in a lot of time and energy.

House Movers is another illustration by Charles Wysocki. I never considered that back in the horse-and-buggy days, entire buildings could be moved.

There weren't quite as many adorable details in this puzzle as others we've constructed, but here are three of my favorites. The farmer with the tipped-over barrel of apples,

the gigantic free range chickens and the literal horse-power moving the building,

and the rainbow. 

I'm pretty sure every one of these Wysocki illustrations has an American flag proudly waving.

The Three Sisters

I needed some more down time, so put together this 300 piece jigsaw puzzle a couple nights ago. The illustration is another by Charles Wysocki.

As usual, I am enthralled by all the little details. Look at this wagon.

And the sweet dog napping with the boy.

Here's a palette and an easel waiting to be set up to paint the scenery.

The question is, are The Three Sisters the artists, Hattie, Alvah, and Bronwyn York?

Or the lighthouses?

Very clever.

Video Chats

I'm so glad I get to have video chats with these girls twice a week. Today we built mega-towers, and played with stuffed animals, and counted to ten, and did ABCs. They also taught me about Kemosabe the porcupine. We only had one meltdown over sharing toys.

But sometimes it hurts so much that I don't get to see them in person. Got me cryin' today.

I Am Alive

 I find hearts in the strangest places.

As a diabetic, I check my blood sugar levels with a finger poke, blotting extra blood onto an alcohol wipe. Well, today ... lookie here:

I'm alive and my blood glucose is in range. That's gotta be good enough for today.

Chicken Soup for My Soul

 The news this week is all-consuming for me. Even so, I managed two main things today:

1. Watched a Netflix DVD that had been sitting around since November

2. Made this pot of soup. 

I must say, it's the best version of this chicken vegetable soup I've made. It's a pretty basic chicken, veggies, broth and cream mixture made without a recipe.. I managed to get the proportions correct this time.

Time for Some Lovin'

Epiphany was only 3 days ago, but that's not a good reason to refrain from prepping for the next holiday, right?

Mimi and Papa did a wee bit of shopping for the Littles today. We have a Care Package to put together that needs to arrive in 20 days.

Wish we could deliver the hugs and kisses in person. 

Maybe next year.  💕💕

What Year Is It?

 

Getting a Quick Fix

The tumult of the last few days left me feeling jittery. To get a jolt of calm, I pulled one of my new 300 piece puzzles off the shelf at lunchtime.

It's another Wysocki illustration and looked so cheery that working on it couldn't help but to put me in a better mood. Dale joined me during his lunch hour. Putting a jigsaw together is such a lovely companionable activity. This puzzle is called Peach of a Day. Finishing it did put me in a peachy mood. Afterward, I went out for my walk. 

Here are some of the details of this springtime illustration. A very merry robin sings on a branch.

A beautiful basket of tulips is ready to go from farm to table.

The sampler and sharp scissors speak to the embroidery lover in me.

Tonight's Sunset

 This beauty still exists ... even in the midst of chaos. All I need to do is look.

This is My Country

Shameful.