11.27.14 The Night Before Thanks Giving, Darkness and Chinese Take Out Reigned

The night before thanks giving, came the heavy wet snow...and the power went out. We sat in the darkness, as I imagined all the times so many , including many of YOU, have been stuck in the winter with no power for so long. We got out the candles, he checked on his phone to discover the reams of people in most towns around us, without power. Called the power company, whose machine voice told us when it should come back on, to the minute. And, yeah, we could have lit the gas stove, but it was such a great excuse to get take out Chinese food; and we never do. So off he went, past all the cars flown off the road, not taking proper heed of the roads; past the trucks trying to resurrect the power, to the restaurant, that HAD power, discovered he had left his wallet at home, talked his way past the cops blocking our little mountain road, to get back home, went back past NEW cars off the road...one little tiny road by two local farms I photograph often- 7 cars in the ditches. Complete with all the tow trucks working away, winching those babies out of those deep ruts. Sigh. Back to the restaurant, back home to me and my daughter's visiting dog (while the kid went out to play and sleepover with friends) and her dog played so happily in the snow, dark night, a leaping and a romping about. Then we all gathered, dogs and cats and humans, round the wheat-free eggrolls and the delicious steaming food, in the candlelight, so quiet and peaceful. Nary a sound. All our faces so soft and muted, nothing electric to use at all. Just being together, within the warm candlelight, eating deliciously. When, all of a sudden, blam, every light blazed on and buzzed and the towns probably came alight just like that, all the homes and kids and cows and coyote out back of the barns, just blaze and it was all back, all the human light, within the deep still night. And then we and our neighbors got all sleepy from all the surprise and excitement and concern about what and when and how long, that turned out small and simple and no big deal... and they all probably did just what we did, 9:00, just tuckered right out from possibility, and went and turned everything off and went deep asleep, under the heavy covers intended for the no heat night, and outside, why, darkness reigned.

   

11.29.14 Heavenly Dog Sandwich, Peppered With Old Dog Love

Last night was a tough night for Shiva Louisa. Panting with congestive heart. Seems if we're lucky enough to be here long enough, it eventually will get tough. Being an animal person, I know this is nowhere near tough. 

Each day , we have the careful waking to go outside , so as not to startle her. The guiding her with smallest touches along the rooms to outside. The best method for helping down the stairs, versus up, the standing in the cold dining room watching, so she can wander and sniff and savor , but be ready when she chills and needs to come right in. 

The peppering her days with gentle massages, meat treats , herbal pain killers , pain oil on her joints and spine . 

But last night ,around 4 am, she lay between us , panting and cooking. 

So I turned off the bedroom heat, and carefully soaked her sore hot wrists in ice water, then applied cooling cloths to her hot hot belly. 

Gave her a 200c Arnica in water with some rescue remedy. And then gentled her nervous system so her heart could soothe and smooth. Did work on her heart .

And then she calmed, she cooled , her heart settled, having shared it's information and received the support.

And she fell deep into unfettered sleep, by my side. That way , I can feel if she begins to have trouble.
I had a slip of the bed left to me, and lay down, finding what covers I could; a bit chilled- until for some reason Dante uncharacteristically lay down next to me , his long soft back to me; head on pillow . He certainly had watched all my silent efforts and comings and goings .

So I pulled his long warm furred self to me, in a heavenly dog sandwich, and peacefully fell deep asleep .

11.28.14 You Can Bring Your Toy to The Party, But You Have to Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

11.278.14 After a good long wild wicked romping in the first snow; my kid's visiting pitty girl

11.27.14 Sleepovers

11.27.14 Sometimes? All you need is love.

11.27.14 The Life Of Uncertainty

My daughter's pitty girl 

living the life of uncertainty ,

early this morning, 

keeping her eye on the big dead turkey, 

and all the baking and fixing.

11.25.14 And now, today,the snow; and all this, asleep beneath.

11.25.14 The beauty of the first snow. And now? On to rolling dough and making those pies.

11.26.14 First nutso in the snow moment (of course, you can't see or hear me whooping and leaping about on the stairs, as he careens around in such happiness

11.25.14 Little tiny itty biddy snowflakes outside

11.25.14 Look... right there... Do you see the brush strokes? See? Yeah!

11.25.14 Holiday Prep- and Safeguarding Our Health

Holiday Prep- and Safeguarding Our Health
If there's anything vital and remarkable to learn and integrate, into who we are, from health problems , it's learning to go slowly and use common sense around occasions and holiday preparation. 

Because going too far and too hard, eventually , becomes something that has a great cost to our health. 

It actually doesn't matter - if we want us and our abilities to stay the same as they were years ago. So what. What matters is- what is. And there is no cheating; only unfortunate consequence, when we push ourselves too hard . A great way, too, to create our own misery.

I keep learning each time how to begin earlier, go easier, ask others to do things, and then the final and most important part- let go let go let go, as the time draws near.
Of doing certain things, or expending the energy ,to have things just so.
There are so many impacts and harmful consequences to pushing ourselves too hard, and too far.

I always feel like a soccer player, going for the goal- failing to get there, fine tuning my long term approach for the next time, and having a glorious time all the while . 

So have fun, whether you are making yourself a squash soufflé and watching tv, gathering with the neighborhood , family, or inviting others to your home. 

Be wise and be kind to yourself, and enjoy giving thanks. For every thing we have.

11.25.14 "If Somebody Is A Problem For You..."

I forget this,

 and then remember this , 

every single day. 

"If somebody is a problem for you,

 it's not that they need to change.

 It's that you need to change. " 

Ram Dass

11.25.14 A sad neighborhood story

A sad neighborhood story
Several years ago, a large Tibetan family moved into house a few miles from here, so in our general neighborhood. You would see two kids out by the road, waiting for the school bus in the mornings. and many cars parked there at night.
Every morning, an older woman I'm imagining was a grandmother, or elder, could be seen walking down the street, turning the corner by the old Waldorf school, and heading down another quiet Hadley Street, beneath enormous stately Maples, and come to rest each and every morning on the stump of what had hat one time been a huge tree.
And the whole time she was walking, she would be holding in her hand, and spinning round and round, a colorful Tibetan Prayer Wheel, while chanting and singing .
A Tibetan Prayer Wheel traditionally has prayers and chants written upon many many pieces of paper, that are wound around an axel, and spun, while chanting.
Tibetan Buddhists believe that this invokes the powerful benevolent attention and blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion. This spreads compassion and well being.
I watched her, in her colorful clothing , in all seasons, making her walk day after day, and looked up information about the prayer wheel, which seemed such a wise , wonderful walking meditation and prayer.
Tragedy then struck the family, when, one summer, a young family member, who worked at Whole Foods , was swimming in the Connecticut, and drowned.
I heard about the news, was so saddened , watching the driveway fill with so many cars for weeks on end.
I no longer saw the older woman on her walk.
Then, they moved away, putting the house on the market.
Later, someone began living there again, watering all the red rose bushes that had been planted.
My prayers are with them still.

11.25.14 We All Sat Up, Surprised!

18 years ago, one dark evening, we were sitting with our kids in the living room, when somebody opened the porch door, despite the lights being off outside, came up onto the porch, and pushed open the kitchen door, as they entered the back of the house. 

We all sat up, surprised, as they bonked the door into the wall behind it.
A woman's voice yelled out "Sorry! Sorry!", As we heard the door close once again.
We certainly weren't expecting anyone, and the voice wasn't familiar, but we we all tired out, it being the end of the week, so we just sat there, waiting to see who was going to come around the corner, from the dark porch into the kitchen, into the living room.
In burst this woman, hands filled with bags, saying "Sorry I'm so late! Hey, where is everybody?"
B I thought it was the funniest thing in the world. So did Kevin. So did our kids.
I just sat there, looking at her for a minute, realizing that some stranger had just burst into our house, And was standing in our living room. We all just sat there laughing.
Finally , I asked her "Excuse me? Who are you looking for?
She looked at all of us sitting together, cracking up, with this horrified expression on her face, and said "Oh my God. Oh my God. I walked into your house! You don't know me! I have the wrong house! Oh my God! I'm so sorry!"; really truly kind of freaking out.
Which I can understand, if I had ever burst into someone else's house, with great abandon.
We were all laughing , so she cooled out a little bit.
N I stood up, and told her it was really okay, let her out through the dark kitchen, through the dark porch, to the side yard, and said "I think it's this house next-door that you might be looking for. But you might want to knock first."
"Right. Right. She said, with, a sheepish grin . "I'm really sorry about that.
I shrugged my shoulders, smiled and wished her a good night, as I turned and walked back in.

11.24.14 Making It Shine

This morning the mist was 
rolling up the mountains
Streaming across the river
Rising from ravines
Joining with cloud cover
Slipping through tree branches
Wetting the land
Making it shine

11.24.14 Everyday magic in the neighborhood, and down by the river