Ah - last work, first work,
A turning of the new year
from darkness to light.

Oh yes!

You do not need to leave your room.
Remain sitting at your table and listen.
 Do not even listen. Simply wait.
 Be quiet, still and solitary.
The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked.
It has no choice. It will roll in ecstasy at your feet.
- Franz Kafka  

Stages by Herman Hesse

Stages

As every flower fades and as all youth
Departs, so life at every stage,
So every virtue, so our grasp of truth,
Blooms in its day and may not last forever.
Since life may summon us at every age
Be ready, heart, for parting, new endeavor,
Be ready bravely and without remorse
To find new light that old ties cannot give.
In all beginnings dwells a magic force
For guarding us and helping us to live.
Serenely let us move to distant places
And let no sentiments of home detain us.

The Cosmic Spirit seeks not to restrain us
But lifts us stage by stage to wider spaces.
If we accept a home of our own making,
Familiar habit makes for indolence.
We must prepare for parting and leave-taking
Or else remain the slave of permanence.
Even the hour of our death may send
Us speeding on to fresh and newer spaces,
And life may summon us to newer races.
So be it, heart: bid farewell without end.

Matins by John O'Donohue

Somewhere, out at the edges, the night
Is turning and the waves of darkness
Begin to brighten the shore of dawn.

The heavy dark falls back to earth
And the freed air goes wild with light,
The heart fills with fresh, bright breath
And thoughts stir to give birth to color.

O'Keeffe series continues, the Black Spot

December 26

Presents are opened,
Food all is eaten and the
Visits are over.

A happy, merry Christmas to all

Awakening to a foggy white-out -
brightening with holiday lights and candles lit,
down for cinnamon rolls, chai and coffee, sparkling cider,
Christmas calls, Christmas mail, Christmas carols, Christmas visits,
Christmas feast, slow roasted beef, rosemary potatoes, carrots, onions and celery,
cinnamon sugared acorn squash, crusty rolls, and sweet potato pie.
Presents piled about more merriment to follow.

Oh my!

Mocha herbal coffee soy latte,
Cranberry-orange-almond scone,
a few squares of organic 85%  Trinitario dark chocolate,
strawberries with Greek yogurt,
shelled walnuts,
crystallized ginger in dark Belgian chocolate,
a double peanut butter cookie,
decaf soy chai latte,
Christmas Eve morning!

Christmas caroling,
Holiday lights in darkness
gifts awaiting us.

First Day of Winter,
rain pattering on windows,
green and warm and wet?

Happy Solstice to all

Gelli plate play

To Come Home to Yourself

“May all that is unforgiven in you

Be released.

May your fears yield

Their deepest tranquilities.

May all that is unlived in you

Blossom into a future

Graced with Love." – John O’Donohue

“the wild rose” : a poem of love by wendell berry

Sometimes hidden from me
in daily custom and in trust,
so that I live by you unaware
as by the beating of my heart,

Suddenly you flare in my sight,
a wild rose looming at the edge
of thicket, grace and light
where yesterday was only shade,

and once again I am blessed, choosing
again what I chose before.

Wrapping up the year

Reorganizing
the studio, unearthing,
clearing - a new way.

59th St. Studio

Pink and Blue

Peaceful, starry night

A new calm

And this

And then move to this