8 Degrees

is too cold to run?

Nope, I don't think so

I like running when it's wicked cold out, it's pretty awesome in its own special way and everything looks do different covered in ice and snow.

8 Degrees on a bike, now that would be COLD but running around in brilliant sunshininess is perfect.

Winter Solace

January Winter Sunrise

It was negative 10 degrees this morning but so winterly beautiful. Clear, sharp and magical.
We received some more snow, a taste of winter as it will warm right up again this week. Winter is my quiet time, my solace, my rest. Don't get me wrong, I've been active, riding and running, I have to be outside every day for at least an hour but I haven't been kicking my own ass on the bike like I do in the Summer. I'm trying to let the lower back/hip heal if possible, running doesn't seem to bother it at all. I'm enjoying my runs even more this year but it will never replace how I feel when I'm riding my bike through chunky rocky trail.
January is a bittersweet month for me and it will be that way for the rest of my life, that's okay though, I celebrate the bitter and the sweet.
I've been delving deeper into nutrition and cooking whole foods from scratch this winter, eating as much raw as I can in the winter, enjoying cooked GF and DF foods and just trying new stuff, cutting back, way back on refined sugars. I've never eaten this well in my life, it's been a process/journey. A friend gave me their old crock pot and that has been a wonderful thing as well, being able to cook beans while away at work or slow cook a dinner or dish, super. Every morning I look forward to my green smoothie. I've always been interested in nutrition and since I discovered my food allergies/sensitivities 10 years ago, I've learned so much, it's a big and important piece of my life. My art production is quiet right now, ideas being written down in a note book for future endeavors. That's ok art will always be a part of who I am and how I function in the world I just don't always have to be creating work, creativity can take different forms. I'm trying to save some money for a new bike frame, would like to upgrade/change that for 2011, we'll see if I can or not.
In the mean time I take solace in the slowing down that is winter, the turning inward and the magical mornings.

Holiday Connections

Family Heirlooms

Today I had to myself, the day before Christmas Eve and it was SO good. Sometimes I need a day spent alone, doing my own thing, when I want, how I want. I enjoyed our Christmas tree we cut from our property, lit with white lights and all sparkle, we topped a tree actually. It's decorated with years of collected ornaments and many from my Mom's own collection. Below the Christmas tree is a small village of sparkle paper houses, something given to me by my Mother who loved Christmas and the celebrations and traditions of this time of year.
I decided today that I would spend my time making Pirogies, a traditional Polish dumpling stuffed in this case with potato and cheese. However my twist is that I made them gluten free and dairy free. I put on the apron I gave my Mother when I was in second grade and broke out the rolling pin handed down to me that belonged to my Great Grandmother, who brought it from Poland I believe, this rolling pin has to be at least 80 years old. I love it's green handles and I cherish it. I put on some Christmas music via Pandora and reconnected with the women of my family and all the times they performed the same ritual of making the holiday pirogies and it felt awesome. I smiled as I thought of my Mother and how happy it would make her to know I was carrying on, the task of rolling out the dough and cutting a circle with a jelly jar, filling and pinching it closed, time after time grounded me deeply. I believe we all need these rituals that connect us with who we are, where we came from and those that came before us, honoring the memories and lessons taught. There will be more traditions and moments of connection over this holiday, those taught and those created. I hope you have these things to bind you to your own history, Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice and Happy Holidays!

Window

Pavement window into the earth..

Love

I got to spend time with my niece Amelia

and Aaron...LOVE them and their pure spirits deeply.

Winter Light

Winter Grasses/Abstract

Orbiting around..

Winter light and color while out riding solo.
I see patterns and colors with texture for paintings and glaze and surface treatments in all of this. Ideas for future pieces or maybe these are the pieces, right now.

Cherokee Legend

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."