Waiting and Walking

Solstice Fire at RavenWood

Overwhelm - that's the truth of it. I held the dream that the break between 

semesters would give me needed quiet and inspiration as I set up the space 

in my new studio and found my roots in creative process again. But I see my sacred, 

winter break slipping fast away as I wait still for the heater to be properly installed 

in the studio - days turn to weeks and I wait. Tomorrow it seems, the man that sold 

me my heater will come and put the piece in place that the gas company forgot to, 

so it will all be safe to use. 

Bigger than this, though, is finding out that a family member is facing a health 

crisis. It seems we have just come up for a bit of air, finding some normalcy after 

losing my niece's husband last year. Without much time to breathe, we've plunged 

deeply into another intense journey. I know that through these dark and 

challenging moments I am being given the opportunity to show up fully and learn, 

but I am truly craving relief. The moment to moment shifts inside me are extreme. 

Taking myself to the land is the most healing balm right now - and always. My nerves 

are soothed by the daily visit and calls of the morning crows and the enormous 

flock of juncos that peck around the moss garden. 

The first day of January was warm following a night of rain showers. The mosses 
glowed green and the light seemed more like spring than early winter. Usually we 
are snow covered by now, at least a few inches. Until yesterday a few snapdragons
still bloomed on the porch. 

I walked slowly, close to the house, noticing small details, 

A rune-like scratching in the red squirrel tree: 

I've been watching this pincushion of moss grow 

lovely reaching rays for months. 

And Pasha has grown his winter ruff. 

Thin ice, just at the edge of freezing. 

The garden looks more like it does in early April 

than January, but the cold came today transforming 

soft and green to hard and brown. 

Though I grumbled and moaned at the start of this post, 

let it be known that my excitement about this new space 

can hardly be contained! Here is the completed studio, 

waiting for heat so the walls can be painted, 

the shelves built and everything moved in. 

Looking from the front door to the back:

The front door and storage loft above. 

Behind the partition wall is a closet. 

The beautiful gas heat stove on a test fire:

Inside, One can tell the temperature of the wood stove by how 

close Pasha sits. Here, he's far, but this morning after his outside rounds in 

the cold 13 degrees, he was practically on top of it!

The house is dressed up with the Christmas tree turned World Tree that 

holds white feather prayers from all who visit. 

and of course, there just wouldn't be magic without owls....