Quiet January mornings ...

I've been easing into January.

Sketching, painting, journaling, feeding the birds, reading, playing my ukulele, baking, cooking lovely pots of soup and vegetable filled stews, listening to music and taking long meditative walks.

The weather has been cold and it's not unusual for a flake or two to fall as I walk.

Once home from walking, I put on a pot of coffee, light some candles and jot down my "walking thoughts". For the past few days, there has been a gorgeous Cooper's Hawk sitting in a tree. I hadn't spotted him, but his song had me searching the trees for him. I've seen many hawks - even in my own backyard, but had never heard one's mating song. Simply amazing! 

January always seems to represent new growth and new beginnings and I have a few jam jars with cuttings in them. I love to see the roots swimming in the water. 

The beginning of a new plant! Exciting.

January has been a month of crows! No matter where I walk, there is crow chatter to be heard.

One of the most magical moments for me however was spotting two crows sitting in a tree. I watched as they chatted and then, put their foreheads together and sat that way for a few moments until one flew away. It was a moment I will never forget. I knew they would become a painting.

~Just between Us~

All the subtle gestures

that speak louder than words

between like-minded creatures

like us two birds

~deb dunn~

"Your imagination

is your preview

of life's

coming attractions"

~Albert Einstein~