I am claiming this week as mine and not focusing on planning meals, cleaning house, chores, etc but just what I want to do. I haven't done it perfectly but good enough.
Love seeing your Eastern Bluebirds (we get mostly western) and the slate-colored dark-eyed junco! Awesome photos and words as always! Okay, now I'm going to take a nap...
Post-holiday, I relish the quiet! Longer days, bit by bit, inch me to a comfortable rhythm of more exercise, drawing, and productiveness as well as the silence of a solo ride any time of day or darkness. Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. May it be filled with wonder and Peace.
Oh yes….definitely in slow down mode after the busyness of Xmas….school is out til January 7th…so that means no “Grandma’s taxi”…..and all the adults are using up vacation days…so getting a lot of reading and jigsaw puzzles done here for me…today is Keira’s birthday….can’t believe she will be in high school next year with Gianna…they grow up so fast 😍❤️
Wonderful post today Karen. I love so many of the pics. The fascinating dripping ice images, the acrobatic Cedar Waxwing, the quiet of the three Horned Grebes catching the light on that gently rolling water and the young Robin reminding us that spring is on the way with that glint in her steady bright eye! A wonderful way to savor this week. To give kindness to oneself as we would another in need of rest and nourishment of the mind, body and soul. Thank you!
Oh, Karen, you capture the spirit of this week/this season so well. Thank you for your words and your photos .. as always, so welcome! I've started reading a book called Slow Time, which is guiding me through this down time and suggesting new ways to keep it going, to some degree, when I have to "re-enter." Happy New Year to you and to all the birds you share with us here!
I read about it here on Substack, I think ... though I can't remember who recommended it. It's by Waverly Fitzgerald. The subtitle is Recovering the Natural Rhythm of Life. Published in 2007 by Genesta Press, though the edition I found on Amazon says 2016. It's organized in weekly "lessons" -- 12 of them.
On Oct 2, 2021 I was in an accident that resulted in my breaking my hip. For the next 2 months I was unable to leave my home. These 2 months during which I had to re-learn things like getting out of bed and walking to the kitchen were the greatest gifts I have ever received. I re-learned how to slow down in doing literally everything I did....I never appreciated more the simple things in my life..
Thank you Karen. Both for another collection of photos from your neck of the woods (waters) and also your meditation on hibernation. To me, your thoughts on hibernation remind me that I can’t hole up like a black bear. That I can make a commitment to unplug from overwhelm and look for chances to rest, read, and look for the joy in the present moment. You inspire me to seek unplug moments! Thanks.
I love this Janisse! I feel like I sometimes write two spiraling stories, one with the words and one with the photos and captions. Like two strands of DNA.
Thank you for the many gifts you give us, Karen!! These are wonderful, and I love how you show us so many ways the birds (and other parts of nature) are just like us--and can teach us things, too, if we let them <3
The water dripping photos are hypnotic to me, especially the one where you adjusted the focus differently to make it look like Christmas lights!!
I'm glad you're taking time to hibernate, and slow things down a bit. It's so easy for me to get caught up in busyness at the holidays, and then even afterwards, too, because I worry I've let some things go while I focused on hurrying to get everything accomplished in time. I believe your newsletter helps me though! Your writing and photography together is like the coffee table book I keep reaching for every day, does that make sense? The beauty, encouragement, and reminder that the world has so very much to offer--and all I have to do is open my eyes and see it :D
I love the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. The slowness, the un-busyness, the quiet, the time to breathe...And like you, I need to gather together and reconnect those neglected "pieces of me" that got short shrift in 2024, which I started in January with RSV and am ending not with a bang but a whimper after the tumultuous political season. It all felt more like an assault on the senses than a year lived. And now on to a fresh and hopefully refreshing 2025. The operative word being HOPE.
I am claiming this week as mine and not focusing on planning meals, cleaning house, chores, etc but just what I want to do. I haven't done it perfectly but good enough.
Love seeing your Eastern Bluebirds (we get mostly western) and the slate-colored dark-eyed junco! Awesome photos and words as always! Okay, now I'm going to take a nap...
Post-holiday, I relish the quiet! Longer days, bit by bit, inch me to a comfortable rhythm of more exercise, drawing, and productiveness as well as the silence of a solo ride any time of day or darkness. Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. May it be filled with wonder and Peace.
Mmmm, yes, that sounds lovely. Happy new year to you, wonder and peace are amazing wishes.
All wonderful photos as always! That eagle tho! Woo!
Thank you John!
Happy hibernating…unplug and refresh.
Thank you Jennie!
Oh yes….definitely in slow down mode after the busyness of Xmas….school is out til January 7th…so that means no “Grandma’s taxi”…..and all the adults are using up vacation days…so getting a lot of reading and jigsaw puzzles done here for me…today is Keira’s birthday….can’t believe she will be in high school next year with Gianna…they grow up so fast 😍❤️
They grow up SO fast. Life passes so fast. I'm glad you can slow down too!
Wonderful post today Karen. I love so many of the pics. The fascinating dripping ice images, the acrobatic Cedar Waxwing, the quiet of the three Horned Grebes catching the light on that gently rolling water and the young Robin reminding us that spring is on the way with that glint in her steady bright eye! A wonderful way to savor this week. To give kindness to oneself as we would another in need of rest and nourishment of the mind, body and soul. Thank you!
Thank you Sandy!
Oh, Karen, you capture the spirit of this week/this season so well. Thank you for your words and your photos .. as always, so welcome! I've started reading a book called Slow Time, which is guiding me through this down time and suggesting new ways to keep it going, to some degree, when I have to "re-enter." Happy New Year to you and to all the birds you share with us here!
Thank you Jeanne! That sounds like a good book. Who is the author (there are several books called Slow Time!).
I read about it here on Substack, I think ... though I can't remember who recommended it. It's by Waverly Fitzgerald. The subtitle is Recovering the Natural Rhythm of Life. Published in 2007 by Genesta Press, though the edition I found on Amazon says 2016. It's organized in weekly "lessons" -- 12 of them.
Thank you for the reminder that it is hibernation time x
You are welcome Cali, enjoy it!
a Yes here...
Hope you are getting good hibernation time too!
In the midst of moving... but today I pause to write and read and replenish!
On Oct 2, 2021 I was in an accident that resulted in my breaking my hip. For the next 2 months I was unable to leave my home. These 2 months during which I had to re-learn things like getting out of bed and walking to the kitchen were the greatest gifts I have ever received. I re-learned how to slow down in doing literally everything I did....I never appreciated more the simple things in my life..
That's a tough way to learn, but I love that you can appreciate the gifts of it now!
Thank you Karen. Both for another collection of photos from your neck of the woods (waters) and also your meditation on hibernation. To me, your thoughts on hibernation remind me that I can’t hole up like a black bear. That I can make a commitment to unplug from overwhelm and look for chances to rest, read, and look for the joy in the present moment. You inspire me to seek unplug moments! Thanks.
I love it. Thank you Gary!
I found myself reading your words & skipping the photos. That's not right!!! But I do love to hear how you're doing.
I love this Janisse! I feel like I sometimes write two spiraling stories, one with the words and one with the photos and captions. Like two strands of DNA.
Thank you for the many gifts you give us, Karen!! These are wonderful, and I love how you show us so many ways the birds (and other parts of nature) are just like us--and can teach us things, too, if we let them <3
The water dripping photos are hypnotic to me, especially the one where you adjusted the focus differently to make it look like Christmas lights!!
I'm glad you're taking time to hibernate, and slow things down a bit. It's so easy for me to get caught up in busyness at the holidays, and then even afterwards, too, because I worry I've let some things go while I focused on hurrying to get everything accomplished in time. I believe your newsletter helps me though! Your writing and photography together is like the coffee table book I keep reaching for every day, does that make sense? The beauty, encouragement, and reminder that the world has so very much to offer--and all I have to do is open my eyes and see it :D
Oh I love being a coffee table book! And yes, if I can remind anyone to slow down it's great because I always need that reminder.
I love the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. The slowness, the un-busyness, the quiet, the time to breathe...And like you, I need to gather together and reconnect those neglected "pieces of me" that got short shrift in 2024, which I started in January with RSV and am ending not with a bang but a whimper after the tumultuous political season. It all felt more like an assault on the senses than a year lived. And now on to a fresh and hopefully refreshing 2025. The operative word being HOPE.
Hope will carry us through!
The final picture. So Stunning. I wish I could paint it.
Thank you Faye! Paint it!