Saturday, December 31, 2016

the stillness the dancing


Oh, the evil in one little bar of chocolate goodness.


T. S. Eliot's said "so the darkness shall be the light and the stillness the dancing"~perfect words to wrap up 2016.


Nothing better than twilight at the beach.  Well, maybe a warm beach as opposed to the Atlantic in December. 




I'll have to bribe myself to walk the entire boardwalk tonight, so to see one last viewing of these fun light displays.  It's. So. Cold. 


Enjoying one of my stocking stuffers!


It may sound silly, but go get yourself a nice colouring book~it's oddly satisfying and soothing to complete a picture.


The last sunrise of the year. 



the stars and the surf
lulled me into slumber last
night of this hard year

Friday, December 30, 2016

gioia sulla spiaggia


Enjoying what had now become a New Year's tradition~eclairs (both savory [cherve, thyme, and 'shrooms] and sweet~well, British sweet cream.  Which isn't.)  Should I ever win the lottery, I am becoming a pastry chef.


Back to beach to say good riddance to this year.  The only drawback to a Texas life was no ocean (the Gulf doesn't count)~so I am savoring the fact that I can jump in my car and be seaside within an hour or two. 


And I've said (ad nauseam, I'm sure) that the school year is the new year for me, there will  still be long beach walks pondering what's next for me.


My countdown clock tells me that I have only 160 more days until I can begin a new (urban) chapter! 


Happy to see the Christmas display still up.  If the wind dies down, I may go back out when it's dark to get some twinkly shots. 


If you squint, you'll the little wooden angel that a high school friend sent to me last Christmas~I've dubbed her Gioia (Italian for 'joy') and she's gone on many adventures with me this year.

little wooden sprite
thanks for the interesting
spin around the earth

Thursday, December 29, 2016

silver/gold

Not quite sure what the adage of something, something new/old friends, one is silver, the other is gold (and I'm FAR too invested in vacation sloth to actually Google it), but as I age~while I so enjoy meeting new people and the layer of interest they bring to my life~there is something so comforting about kicking off one's shoes and curling up on a sofa and just Talking without filters.


Two of my former Austin colleagues~both of whom call Baltimore their home~so lovely to catch up with them for an afternoon. 


deep joy of being
known from survival in some
fun teaching trenches


And, I have to laugh at my two Jewish friends~posing in front of a Christmas tree.

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Christmas~past/present/future



New "KitchenAid" from Poppa~many special cookies were made. 





The true reason for the season~lefse! 




Festive feasting. 



The calm before the carnage. 


when does it slip a- 
way?  That deep childlike delight
in the smallest things.


Christmas Eve post-lights viewing treat. 



All he wanted for Christmas was "trains and candy corns."


Little Cindy Lou Who. 

A lovely Christmas~full of quiet moments, zany dances, yummy meals, and lovely gifts.  The only thing missing was a snowfall.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

cuties


rosy-cheeked lake walk 
pockets full of acorns and 
tissue~winter break


Monday, December 26, 2016

solstice


I've been pre-posting most of these this month~between the musical life in December and being a house guest for two weeks~bouncing between hosts, I take whatever quiet time I have to upload photos and create the haiku.  So.  These shots are actually of the dawn of Solstice this year.  



absorbing the light
illuminated Sol In~
victus that dwells within.

Sunday, December 25, 2016

sparkles of whimsy


Went to see 34th Street~Baltimore style.  Fun block of neighborhood whimsy.   


juxtaposition
childlike delight and freezing
of the adult bones





It's a sign~literally and figuratively!

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Friday, December 23, 2016

time & timing


If music, food, love
are all enhanced by perfect 
timing~why didn't

this wall of clocks work?


Thursday, December 22, 2016

keep your figgy pudding


I prefer my figs to appear on fresh croissants.


the sheer & utter
luxurious hours of hol-
iday rhythms