looking both ways

If you happened to drive by my house early this morning, you would have seen a weird lady in a pink bathrobe, red tea kettle in one hand, a carrot in the other, and a camera around her neck, standing in the snow, freezing wind blowing her tumbleweed hair all around her face...

OK... it was me. And this is the picture I took of the last sunrise of 2007. The tea kettle was for adding warm water to the bird baths, and the carrot was for the little rabbit who lives in our wood pile. I didn't stay long. It was damn cold, but worth the effort.

All the holiday guests have gone home now, and it's a quiet day here in Taos. After days and days of activity, it's nice to be sitting in my pj's at noon, looking out at the blinding blue sky, and just sort of thinking about nothing in particular. I like to take a look back at the year just passed before I put a lot of energy into the one beginning tomorrow. 2007 was good. Challenging and good. No regrets, coyote. And thanks to everyone who made it possible. If I could change anything, I guess I'd make it all last a bit longer. Of course we can't stop Time, but we can dance with it as gracefully as we know how, and we can learn new steps along the way.

I need this day, this one little day, to catch my breath and get ready for 2008. We're about to voluntarily turn our world upside down, and I can't wait to get started. The biggest plan in the works is the move to Oregon. Time to start sorting and packing. We're ready to go. We'll need to sell this house and find the New Place, but those are just details. What? Me worry?

I'm also adding a new "line" to my work. More on that later. It will be a bit odd, and will put some people off, I'm sure. But hose who like the idea will outnumber the poo-poo-ers... I think.

Then there's the violin. No, I didn't get one for Christmas. It was too much responsibility for Rick to get that for me. I shouldn't have dumped that on him. Over the years, I've learned that it's silly to expect anyone else to make my dreams come true... mommy, daddy, Santa, hubby, lottery... It's really all up to me to make my own magic happen. So I'll buy that violin when the time feels right. Listen for me down by the river or near the campfire at night... in a few years when I can play more than Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Enjoy this day. Stand in the middle and look both ways. The traffic is clear. Throw out the map, and decide where to go next.