the peaceful peacock

This winter I have acquired a new friend.

Her name is Jasmine Green.

She lives in a teapot, a cup, a jar, sometimes an unbleached filter.

But she’s always nearby.

She brings her friend Honey along too.

We have some good times.

She offers me a handle on the difficult moments.

I often think of her in the middle of the night and can’t wait to see her in the morning.

It must be love.

I take it back about not making any New Year’s Resolutions.  The other day we were out playing under the blueberry sky again and I stumbled across a solution that solved a lot more than my query about how to make the mountains look bigger with my simple camera…

Aim higher.

The winter lasts a long time in Montana.

A looooooong time.

We are currently in the throngs of Winter 2, the post-Christmas lull before the real deep-freeze madness sets in.

This year we have been graced with plenty of still, blue skies and precocious black birds to waken our dreary eyes.  A refreshing preparation for our next season.

Still Winter.

Hang in there, say the black birds. Make new plans for gardens and summertime frills, fix the parts of your insides that ask for attention still.

Thank you for your message, Brother Birds.  You hang in there too.

I can generally tell how productive the day will turn out by 10am.  Psychic?  Nah.  It’s a simple matter of discipline.  If I get myself in gear and do the majority of my “Daily Disciplines”, then I know I’ll have a productive day.  If I falter and blow them off, then the day is already shot by mid-morning.

Amazing but true.

These are small practices, baby steps in the world at large, but for a mother of two tiny children I’d say it’s a pretty good challenge.

Make the bed.

This has become much more important now that the bed is in the living room.  (In a space that used to be a bedroom at some point in time so it’s really not that weird.  And it works for us so there you go.)

Brush everyone’s teeth.  And floss mine.

This is much trickier than I ever imagined it could be.

Make something.

Sit at the table and eat breakfast together.

Get the giant stroller and go for a walk.

Even when it looks like this outside:

I’ll admit that we don’t necessarily get out into snowy weather every day…do you have any idea how long it takes to get them dressed for this?

Sit still with myself for a moment of peace.  Every single day.

This usually involves cookies, a cup of Moroccan Mint Green Tea, and Facebook.  Today it’s chocolate biscotti that I made over the weekend.

Dance.

Usually in the living room.

And let’s not forget:

Dishes.

Laundry.  Laundry.  Laundry.  And more laundry.

Vacuuming.

Sometimes these mundane tasks require a little extra boost of motivation ~ I follow my friend Asja’s advice and put on a cardigan, some polka dots, a pretty necklace, and some tall shoes.

My heels of choice are Danskos.

So I’ve been planning a small project for myself involving a variety of fabrics, and just yesterday I was thinking, “Wow, I really wish I had some strips of lilac colored duiponi silk.  That would really pop with this silk velvet.”

This morning I took the kiddos for a stroll and happened upon a yard sale…

and found said strips of lilac duiponi silk for one dollar.

I love when that happens.