187 Chestnut

Nothing like a winter's day at Mom's house. Bougainvillea blooming like it's in the tropics, bulbs in full bloom, child's table at the ready for a snack or art project. Copper pitcher to water plants and a multi-paned mirror made out of a window from Potton hilltop. Just add piano music and the artist just coming up from her basement studio, wiping her hands on her apron and glad to see you.

lovely

"May the dove of peace enlighten our troubled world."

I received two e-cards for Christmas this year. This drawing was done by one of my writing students, Juliet Rago.

I think it interesting to note that she is in her 80's and is so up to date with technology.

Merry Christmas!

Winter Solstice

When I was a school librarian and read to groups of children every day, the second and third graders would race in the door with this beseeching question, "are you going to read us a folk tale? please!!!"

Together we explored the questions asked over the centuries by people all over the world. These stories are filled with drama, deceit, tricksters and kindness in full measure and overflowing. All are filled with truth about human nature. I have begun to see the workings of the natural world to be a kind of story. I feel connected to all those who have gone before us and who have noticed the shortening of days at this time of year. As the story goes, in the American Southwest, Coyote steals the sun. In South America, Papagayo, the parrot, takes big bites out of the moon until it disappears. In the Pacific Northwest, Raven is the culprit, carrying the sun away in a box.

Below is a poem written by Susan Cooper, a noted children's author. I took the above photos in Glover, Vermont- the home of Bread and Puppet Theater.

Light candles today! Tell stories to keep the dark away.

The Shortest Day

So the shortest day came, and the year died

And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world

Came people singing, dancing,

To drive the dark away.

They lighted candles in the winter trees;

They hung their homes with evergreen;

They burned beseeching fires all night long

To keep the year alive,

And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake

They shouted, reveling.

Through all the frosty ages you can hear them

Echoing behind us - Listen!!

All the long echoes sing the same song,

This shortest day,

As promise wakens in the sleeping land:

They carol, feast, give thanks,

And dearly love their friends,

And hope for peace.

And so do we, here, now,

This year and every year.

Welcome Yule!

(posted by Barbara)

Art in New Mexico

Navajo art in Santa Fe

Spanish art. This is St. Barbara for those who don't recognize her by now. She holds a torch and branch, has a three tiered skirt and is always next to or holding or in a small tower. She is the patron saint of architects, lightning, fire and war. They love her in New Mexico. Her image is everywhere!

Taos Indian wall art

My art. I love the shadows created by the strong morning light shining through stick fences.

Anglo art. This doorway leads to a courtyard which then leads to the real front door.

One of the things I love about New Mexico is that there is art everywhere and three cultures are represented: Indian (native), Spanish and Anglo. During the Great Depression, New Mexico was granted large amounts of money through the WPA, which supported many struggling artists. It didn't hurt that the governor at the time had gone to boarding school with FDR! Old chums. There are still signs of this commitment to things made by hand today in murals, hand hewn decorative rafters in buildings and lovely art. Imagine supporting artists in this way!

By the way, I am home now, just still dreaming of the west.

Coastal Studies for Girls

Now this just makes me smile.

Here is Eliza with her students on an ice skating trip.

Red in Taos

Late afternoon in Taos

New Mexico morning

Hi All,

I am here in Taos at a writing/meditation retreat with Natalie Goldberg. This landscape is lovely at all times of year. Laura and I drove up from Santa Fe just ahead of the storm and are now hunkered down to write and read and go to class. After blustery wind and rattling windows in the old Adobe house where we are staying, the weather has settled and the sky is the familiar New Mexico deep blue. I will post pictures over the next few days as time allows.

And maybe some writing.

For you writers out there, todays prompts so far have been:

I remember

I feel through my feet

I don't remember.

It only takes ten minutes to trust first thoughts and

write down what comes to mind.

Those of you who have studied with Nat or with me, there

is no excuse. Get writing! I traveled this far so you could have

some fresh (or old familiar) prompts.

Keep your hand moving across the page!

You'll be glad you did.

Love to all,

me

1000 Paper Cranes

Hey Fam!

I wanted to let everyone know that we are going to fold 1000 paper cranes for the wedding in May and we need help! If you know how to fold paper cranes, want to learn, and have some extra minutes around the edges, we'd love for you to get a pack of origami paper (any color, hopefully standard size) and fold some cranes and send them our way!

1000 paper cranes means luck and longevity and life and love and apparently all things good. We'd love your help! Since we are doing the decorations ourselves, we thought this would be a cool addition.

Love, C