Before it’s time.

At some point today, I looked out my studio window and realized that I needed to get closer to the sky.
I shrugged my way into layers of knits, wool, boots and tights, stepped out the door with Penelope and made for the hills.
There were two sharptail grouse sailing on a stiff wind pouring down from Kinport Peak.
Penelope chased voles through snow down into the roots of the sage.
 
 The flower skeletons rattled about in the cold.
I tried to identify plants in their winter garb.  
It’s sometimes difficult.
Have you ever had trouble recognizing people when the cold weather sets in?  I’ll see friends about town, friends I know plenty well, only when they’re wearing coats and toques it takes me a time to recognize them in their new wintry garb. 

It’s the same for the wildflowers and their naked little winter suits.  I have to peer closely to know who I’m looking at.
 I eventually left the trails to make my own paths.
I kept an eye peeled for furs and feathers and tracks and bird songs:  
Beneath one juniper, a clattering of chickadees.
 The loose coils of barbed wire hanging from my favorite fence line were drooping with cold.
 The snow was holding memories.
 As I walked, lines of poems jotted themselves down in my mind:

…next time I will lean in to listen, as the trees do over deep waters…
When my extremities began to hum with a faint numb
I made my way down off the West bench, through a wooded draw, across a road, through the streets to my front door.
My lips were dumb when I finally stepped inside the house
and already, the day was starting to fade, as winter days do, before we’re ready.
Before it’s time.

Calling Out Boise

My Boise peeps always go on and on about how Pocatello is the armpit of Idaho.
 I mean, really.
What’s that all about?
They just think they’re uber sophisticated because they have an 
Anthropologie downtown and their University has a thriving 
football department.


Whatever.


When John Denver was singing “Rocky Mountain High…….”
He was singing about this.


May your mountains be frosty.
xx
P.

Ruby Red

Bonjour!
It’s only 10AM but I’m going to give this day a big bright fantastic for the following reasons!
 Ruby red.  
There’s nothing like fabulous citrus in the winter.
Watching RW eat ruby red.  
He always does the weirdest things with his cutlery and I can’t help but laugh out loud.  
It’s fascinating.  I liken it to watching someone hold a pencil in a bizarre fashion whilst drawing or writing.  Weird.  
 Hanging on to the Farlinator, feeling thankful for his animal warmth, the kindness in his amber eyes and realizing that taking a bit of animal therapy throughout the day is very good for my cellulars and my soul.
 Stepping outside into frigid weather and wandering through beautiful wind formed snow drifts on an early morning walk with the puppies.  
Being bundled up!  I hate summer clothing.  
I love being swaddled in layers and layers of clothes.  
It gives me an excuse to wear everything I love all at once.
Watching Pene plough through snow that is deeper than she is tall!  
That’s some cute weenie action.  Trust me.
I’ve promised that I’ll crochet her a little sweater this week.
The wind continues to blow fiercely in sharp gusts.  It picks up snow crystals and suspends them in the air and the world is glittering as far as I can see. 
Winter is so darn magical.
 Talulah at the curb wearing a perfectly white winter coat.  
Silver, behind her, with perfect icicle fangs coming off the front grill.
Coming inside after our wintery stroll with frosted and frozen hair tips, dumb lips and rosy cheeks.  Feeling like my pores have been scrubbed clean.  
Fixing cups and cups of tea to warm up.  
Dark chocolate hot chocolate made with milk on the stove top in a sauce pan.
Pumpkin soup for lunch.
I’ve put on my Ugg boots, tights, tall socks, a corduroy mini skirt, plaid flannel button up, my favorite toque and a pair of earrings. 
I’m going out to the studio.

xx
P.

PS  Did I tell you that last night we made a crazy pilgrimage out to the hot springs where we soaked for a couple of hours?  The steam billowing off the pools made thick white walls in the night.  I kept my head above water but still had hair icicles within minutes.  We had to dunk our ears in the pools to stop them from freezing in the wind! It was fabulous!  Come over tonight, we’ll do it again.

PSS  Thanks for your lovely comments on Typewriter Tuesday.  I’m feeling much better of body, soul and mind today. xx


Tromping About

[the pupsicle]
It’s been snowing here. I keep meaning to go out to my studio and do a bit of cleaning and organizing before I get to work on Monday but every time I look out the windows I find myself perfectly pleased with making pots of tea and reading books under quilts in the living room.  There’s just something about the first snow of winter that feels like gently drifting doves descending on my heart.  I’m calm.  I’m content.  I like putting things in the oven and building delicious soups on the stove top.

Today we made a pot of elk chili, a thermos of tea and headed into some higher country to do a bit of tromping about in the weather.  There’s nothing so great as the burning chill of winter rose in the cheeks, tumbly fingers fumbling in the cold and the steady fall of winter hush in the round.  I hope you had a restful sabbath.  It’s pumpkin soup for dinner here and perhaps a bit of reading before my eyes close to night.  Stay cozy, wherever you are.

xx
Plume

First Snow

9000 feet
I was up at 9000 feet this afternoon with RW, crunching through the first snow of the season.  Right after RW snapped this image the wind blew me over.  

Of course, I was crawling through the brush oohing and ahhing over the crystalline deposits of snow and ice on the grasses and wild flower stems (RW is a very patient man):
You know I’m going to recreate these minute pools of ice in a jewelry design.  Nothing can compare to the perfection of creation but darn it, I’m going to try.  I’ve been day dreaming and sketching since seeing these beautiful samples of winter up close.  They nearly stopped my heart in my chest.

The best details of the day:

A chipmunk transporting cache across the Mink Creek road — cheeks expanded four times their regular size, tail ramrod straight as it galloped across the pavement.

Wet leaves playing leapfrog on the sidewalk in front of the house.

That first creamy sip of my latte while I sat in a coffee shop this morning answering emails.

Penelope’s wee bottom bouncing through the snow on top of Scout Mountain.

That perfectly beautiful rose that rises up in my cheeks when I’ve been out in the cold and wind.  

The heat pouring off my firebox out in the studio.  The closer I sit, the cozier things feel.  AND the view from my studio window — Kinport Peak has a light dusting of snow.  I can’t wait until my view from the bench is positively polar looking.  

Autumn feels good on this soul, even if my fingers are cold.  
Happy Monday to you all!
Life is so good.
xx
Plume


Post Script:
I do feel compelled to inform you of my current obsession
with Selkies.