“He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.”
~ Psalm 147:16-18
New Year’s Day at Papa and Mema’s— Wahoo on the floor and a fire in the gas stove
Breathing hard into January winds
The little box Anna gave me for Christmas, filled with handwritten notes of writing encouragement that I draw out each morning
Reflection of a candle in the cold glass
A ham panini and coffee in the sun at Glady Fayes, running into Stephanie again
This conversation on writing (and writing spaces) with Lore Wilbert
Janaya sharing about the way she reads the Bible: “I’m just enjoying the stories.”
Bear turning one, eating so much food and laughing at everyone
Watching the trashman do his work before dawn, out in the cold, and men like him who rise early and work
Watering houseplants for Larry and Betty, filling a can at their kitchen sink, watching chickadees on the feeder outside their old Tudor home, with tea sets on carts, plant paintings, and long, latticed windows
Launching my business and the way the wonderful Author Conservatory has me working toward my goals
Eleven of us at Steinburg Rink, skating, racing, sliding, falling, and helping each other up and along
Sun across the ice
Quiet van ride home and the good kind of weariness
Sweeping our first volleyball set
Driving Papa Jay to his appointment and learning things about his mom and her fortitude— which must be where he gets it
Coffee and a book in the car
A murder mystery dinner— getting to wear wool pants and hold a pipe in my mouth and drink tea and solve a case with a few of my favorite people
Night rain that turned to snow
Heavy boughs drooping over the path around the pond
Walking slowly to the end of Edgewood, then through the trees to the corner of that field, all gray with snow, listening to “if i were a girl in a book” playlist
Cold face and fingers
Pouring wax to make a candle
Rifling through free books on the balcony with Kathy and Marilee before Sunday school; coming home with a stack
Slicing potatoes on a wooden cutting board
Walking to borrow Papa’s car and go teach Anna, sipping hot tea and carrying my satchel up the hill
Chicken noodle soup and a candle
A Sabbath afternoon of working and stretching bread dough and reading the Psalms while letting it rise on the oven door
Season 2 of “All Creatures Great and Small”
The way Dad and Mom make sure to read my Sketch each Sunday and add a loving comment or two
Big, dense sourdough loaves smeared with elderberry honey
Breakfast with Molly
A Saturday for pancakes, pond skating, one-on-one hockey with Janaya, and repairing the greenhouse
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