fooled

this willow

whose feet are dug in 

a drainage 

closeby

has chosen to risk it all

on the possibility of

spring.

it is january 15 in the north country.

this is unheard of.

and yet we have heard this:

global warming is/is not

and the willow

she takes a huge risk. 

 

 this is the water 

that keeps her feet wet

during much of the year,

and after rain

 across the road, 

it's icing up again

as winter argues with spring

hard to believe that a week ago

the snow was thighhigh

this tall willow

she has such heart

to try to bloom

in january.

or 

she is a fool,

or i am the fool.

snow disappearing

 thaw on the weekend

ochre/gold

 some light dancing

that same sky!

 i sampled

spinning thin kozo and thick lokta 

 thread

 holy words

printed gently

  kozo and lokta

(and damned silly numbers-

been playing with the camera)

 lokta and kozo

grey birch and snowmelt

still some flu, but coming around slowly

beauty in pale

all that beautiful snow

that graced us at christmastime

and after, and through this horrid flu

is melting now

january thaw 

this is what an elder dog does 

watches, listens, sniffs.

her eyes are cloudy

her hearing leaving,

but she loves both snow and wind.

oh, and me.

big event

out the car window 

high open meadows 

focus in 

more and more 

 and a second flock

almost hidden by the hedge row 

all land together 

when the big event 

of several days

is the flight  of turkeys

(spotted on my way to the doctor's office)

admittedly a LOT of turkeys

two large flocks in fact

converging in their haste to 

flee from me

i know it's time for heavy medicine.

antibiotics in my gut and eyes, 

friday morning, though contagious,

i am bettering.

many thanks for the get wells.

i'm doing that.

trustworthy circles

this circle, 

cut from one end,

 lands on linen,

claudia's sleeve, in fact,

and looks to be at home. 

 she called them trustworthy,

these circles,

which makes me wonder.

 and now my stitching,

 cutting, and mending

during this flu

horrendous though it is

has something to be,

to lean into, to become.

trustworthy.

so

i've walked her

 a little

 during this

 very nasty flu

 and went to work today

 maybe not the best idea

the snow is melting

it's said this is the hottest year since recording temperatures

50 degree weather is predicted

but it is beuatuful

love

i know you're thinking 

this looks like 

valerie's frozen chicken soup with chard

but you'd be wrong.

it's love.

working on healing.

flu

ugh.

quiet here.

really got it this time

cold/flu not too many sneezes, though.

everything hurts. thursday night was awful. 

as i make my lemon, ginger, honey brew

this is what i see. that butter?

for the toast.

deepest regret: can't ski.

really i can't!

i have done a bit of stitching.

old/new

 i had to be making something on new year's day

and again tonight

 (playing with flash...)

 i've turned again to claudia's sleeve

(silk stitches)

which is hard to do

while speaking to claudia 

on the macphone.
7 below 0. cold.

new thinking

he said, "when the trout are sipping insects...."

and i just s.t.o.p.p.e.d. listening.

sipping insects.

sipping insects. 

sipping snowflakes.

today, yesterday, and the yesterday before, in fact

i have been sipping snowflakes.

the turning of the year

is thankfully all about

sipping snowflakes.

may your new year be 

a surprise, a joy, a sorrow, 

solid and true,

a mystery, a home,

a journey.

with love,

velma. 

who is,

as stated previously,

sipping snowflakes