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What with warmer temperatures the first week of the new year, I should think that even the bears would have ventured out to soak up a bit of January's unexpected sunshine. The birds did, for sure, and Millie and I certainly got our share of that glorious shine on our faces.
Christmas decorations are now packed away for another year. (And, yes, I did once again make the declaration that this would be the last year that I would put up a large tree.) The one I packed away, never to be put up again, was frosted with glitter which ended up all over the place, in my hair on the tip of my nose, and even on the cook stove and perhaps in a pot of soup simmering there. Who would know?
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Early morning gathering on a winter's day...
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We ventured out yesterday to sweep out the Shanty and stayed a little longer to play around with the dried flowers collected at summer's end.
The old goose decoy, made of canvas and stuffed with sawdust, prefers to sit in the window and watch the birds at the feeders. When it's really cold he likes to go inside and sleep in the sewing room with some of the dolls.
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Created from cloth, sawdust, and paint...
In places the weave of the canvas cloth and sewing threads are visible. I like that a lot.
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January Sunset...
What in your life is calling you, when all the noise is silenced, the meetings adjourned...the lists laid aside, and the wild iris blooms by itself in the dark forest...What still pulls on your soul?
~Rumi
17 comments:
So much to say and doubt I'll remember all. First in my heart is that last photo of Millie ~ OMG be still my heart. Am thinking 'the shanty' is an outbuilding and not your home? If it is an outbuilding it surely looks live able to me. The seamstress is a delightful watercolor and glad you chose to put it on another piece of paper. What a treasure trove of a legacy you have done over the last year for your family and for us, your loyal followers.
Saundra
I love your shanty and how you decorated it with dried flowers and a canvas goose. It has a warm feeling of a bit of summer. I was wondering if you made the goose yourself. I really like that goose.
Your journal entry continues to make me smile. You are very talented.
Millie is such a faithful little companion to keep you in the fresh air.
Stay well and safe.
Hugs, Julia
Beautiful post Mary, very uplifting.
I love the art in your journal-your watercolor pages are always so wonderful.
I would love to visit your shanty-so comfy there-do you paint in there? that would be a nice art studio too. We have a vintage heavy paper duck decoy-I keep on the mantel here.
great photo of Milly.
we were a bit colder today-easy to get used to those warm 60's we did not get above the mid 30's today we have a gorgeous full bright moon over the lake this week.
Happy Friday and weekend hugs from the lake
I always enjoy seeing what you draw/paint!! And LOVE the image of Millie best of all.
Lovely painting, and the touch of real cloth adds so much. I love both paintings you have shown. Oh that goose in the Shanty-he is delightful. I sure wish we lived just down the road from each other....we'd have tea and gingerbread today.
Oh your photo of Millie is gorgeous. I adore your seamstress and the counter page is just perfect. Like you I do a bit of watercolors in my sketchbook and the paper is not made for it but how fun to just relax and let the colors bleed a bit. Gives the perfect touch. I love seeing the pictures of your world. It looks wonderful. The Shanty with the goose is so lovely - so glad I found your blog last year. Looking forward to visiting you in 2023. Have a great day friend. Hugs!
Did you create Goose? Does it have a name? I love it.I haven't yet removed any of my Christmas things and am still procrastinating. Can I be a cat and sleep under your shanty cupboard? I don't see a blanket there for me. Sure looks like a wonderfully cozy hideaway!
Oooooh, what a lovely post. i look forward to visiting your blog throughout 2023. Happy New Year. x
You are pretty busy for a hibernating woman <3
Happy 2023 Miss Mary (and Miss Millie of course). I am glad you have had wonderful sunshine to warm your faces and your disposition. We are stuck in white here. Ice, snow, ice, snow...repeat. This is where madness starts I believe.. Beautiful words, beautiful photos...beautiful post. I adore your Seamstress. She exudes such a mild expressive personality. And I love your beautiful old goose decoy. What a treasure! ~Robin~
A delightful post. :)
Beautiful skies, and I too love your shanty.
Your paintings are amazing!!
Sure was nice having that warm weather after it being so cold!
When I see clouds like that it tells me either rain or snow is on the way. A guy who I know who worked the lake freighters told me those were fish clouds because they looked like the scales of a fish. He has always been right here in Michigan. Not sure about other states. Millie looks like she is on guard. So sweet! I of course love your shanty! Happy New Year my friend! Janice
I'm glad The Seamstress wasn't marred by the painting on the other side. That would have been unfortunate. Having finished up last year's journal will you start a new book, or just continue in the same one. I had a hard time making myself write the first entry in mine. The page was so pristine and my handwriting is not great. I hope hibernating is going well.
What a beautiful (and challenging) quote from Rumi - I'm sure we have a book of his words in the house somewhere.
I can't see any "leakage" on the seamstress, and actually, isn't it a function of a journal like yours, that it reflects some of the spills and runs in life, which sometimes have their own beauty if we acknowledge it.
I love that rug of yours in the Shanty; have noticed it before. I rather feel it should have a post all of its own :-)
Hibernating - aaaahhhhh. How I love the sound of that! I so love a day I can spend at home with nothing pressing to do. Today should have been one of those but the library called and I guess I have to go and pick up a book. It's one I want to read so it's worth it, but how I dread going out. I *need* a shanty so I can hide away!
January always seems a month of uncertainties--mostly created by weather in the various places we've lived. I wonder why I can't be more creative during these long evenings. If I go downstairs to my sewing before it is quite dark I seem to stay with it, otherwise the night comes down too early and I'm astonished to find it is only 8 p.m.
The outdoors pulls my soul. Your shanty is fabulous. Happy New Year.
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