The Best View in Winter

This month the theme for NaBloPoMo is Best. I hope to post each day in January using this theme. I live in a beautiful corner of the world. One place I love to take in the view in winter is from the greenhouse windows. Something about being surrounded by warm, earthy air and the smell of fresh plants inside while observing the hillside of snow- covered pine trees outside is a nice mix of the senses for New Year's Day. Here is the best view in winter:

What I Have Learned So Far

 images of Lake Roosevelt, winter 2009 (click to see larger)


What I Have Learned So Far

Meditation is old and honorable, so why should I
not sit, every morning of my life, on the hillside,
looking into the shining world?  Because, properly
attended to, delight, as well as havoc, is suggestion.
Can one be passionate about the just, the
ideal, the sublime, and the holy, and yet commit
to no labor in its cause?  I don't think so.

All summations have a beginning, all effect has a
story, all kindness begins with the sown seed.
Thought buds toward radiance.  The gospel of
light is the crossroads of -- indolence, or action.

Be ignited, or be gone.

 

~ Mary Oliver ~ 
from New and Selected Poems,Volume Two

It only seemed fitting to close the year with a poem by one of my favorite writers. Mary Oliver always gives me words to chew on and thoughts that I continue to digest long after I close the book of poetry.  Happy New Year. May 2010 be filled with peace, possibilities, and promise.

Stopping At The Cataldo Mission

 Every time I drive to my hometown of Kellogg, Idaho I pass the Old Mission State Park and look at the oldest standing building in all of Idaho perched on a hill of I-90. My first real tour of the mission was when I took a field trip to the location in 4th grade. It has since been renovated and the Parish house next door has been restored. Here is some information from the Idaho Parks site:

"The oldest standing building in all of Idaho is found here, in the Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park. The Mission of the Sacred Heart or Sacred Heart Mission was constructed between 1850 and 1853 by Catholic missionaries and members of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Sacred Heart Mission and the Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park provide an educational experience not found anywhere else, giving visitors an opportunity to examine the dynamics and complexities between Jesuit missionaries and the tribal people among whom they settled. The park features the Sacred Heart Mission building, a restored Parish House and an historic cemetery. The visitor center includes an interpretive exhibit about the Mission and the Coeur d'Alene Indians. A walking audio tour tape is available."

On a cold December morning I caught a series of photos with the gray clouds as a background. It is worth the stop if you are traveling along I-90 between the Washington and Montana borders.

Three Simple Pleasures: Church, Birthday Celebration, Facebook 101

1. Twice in the last few days I have worshiped in the church I grew up in. It was very comforting to sit in the same sanctuary, participate in similar readings, and sing familiar hymns that have been a part of my life for over forty-five years.

2. Today is my brother's birthday. He arrived yesterday and each of us made a dish he requested to create a birthday dinner. The Deke made a delicious meatloaf and we added baked potatoes, green beans, cole slaw, and pumpkin roll. It was a evening full of good food, good laughs, and good stories.

3. We have been working at getting our mother acquainted with Facebook. It was fun to give her a tour of my "friends" today so she could see her former students, my former students, family, and friends. I think she is on Facebook Overload!

Three Simple Pleasures: Flip, No Disasters, Good Night's Sleep

1. It was a day to count our blessings as the family exchanged gifts, prepared a wonderful feast, and laughed through our first family videos with the Flip.

2. I couldn't believe it!  The dishwasher didn't break, the frig didn't stop working, the meat didn't burn, nobody had a meltdown, we didn't lose the horseradish, and all the food made it to the table. Our family has been known to experience a few disasters as we gather for a holiday meal.

3. Everything quieted down pretty early and I actually got to bed at a decent time and enjoyed a blissful sleep in a warm bed with the dogs and JEJ close by. I could rest knowing all was well with the world.

Images of the Christmas Holiday

Here are some festive images of the Christmas season with my sister, my mom and her family. Merry Christmas!