goodbye, hello

Goodbye 2009:

I am motherless: nothing much else to say here.

I am loved: unconditionally, wholly, and by so many amazing people.

I am amazed: by my life, this world, my garden, Wyoming, my friends and family who stand by me patiently, kindly, lovingly, proudly, sadly.

I am employed: awkwardly, sometimes painfully, but thankfully employed.

I am blessed: with my fortune, my trials and tribulations, my 'learning moments', my continued ability to be intrigued, to strive, to fail and to get up and start again, and to love and be loved despite all of that.

Hello 2010:

May I continue learning, discovering, striving, failing, beginning again, loving, laughing, and crying, and being ok with all of that and more.

Bring it on: I am still standing, never alone, but always mindful that this life - and all that it holds - is transient. Every moment counts, let us begin again.

Wishing you all peace and contentment in the new year.

xoxo

cw

Wide open spaces

Another long lag in my posting - we've been drinking up the big sky and frozen landscapes of Wyoming and Montana the past 10 days, unclenching our 'city minds' for at least a short while.

Today we point the car west, and start the long drive home to Seattle. It's been a great trip, we saw all of Bob's family and they are doing well.

Here's a shot of Bob and his mom and dad:

And here's a taste of what we get to see along our usual road trip route:

If you know nothing of WY, check out Gretel Erlich and Annie Proulx...I'm reading Fine Just the Way It Is right now - pretty awesome.

Sunny & Frozen

Sorry for the lag in posting, it's the season when time seems to accelerate: lists grow longer, days grow shorter.

We've been having a deep freeze here in the PNW, but with it has come brilliant sunny days - a true gift for Seattle's SADD-afflicted citizens. If you've never heard of Cliff Mass, and are curious about our weather and its vagaries, check out his blog from time to time - he's a true weather wonk, and sheds some light on the difficulties of predicting the weather in this region. He also posts some great charts, graphs, and photos from time to time!

Bob and I are hurtling towards our departure for WY (which boasted the nation's lowest temperature yesterday @ -29F in Farson!!). We're driving to see the folks, planning to stop in Jackson on the way and spend a night or two, hopefully will get a chance to go on a ranger-guided snowshoe excursion in Teton Nat'l Park if they get some snow.

Work has been busy for us both, and we're looking forward to getting our cards and packages shipped out, the car packed and pointed east. We depart Friday, if all goes well.