An Appropriate Horoscope for 2008

Comfort is vital to Capricorns born on January 15. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually, they do what they can to make the world better. They gravitate toward good feelings, good works, and good intentions. They enjoy living in the lap of luxury but never lose sight of the intangibles that make life worth living.

Friends and Lovers: People born on this day are loners yet possess a magnetism that draws people to them. They are loyal and supportive to friends. They have trouble making sense of all but the most intense relationships and usually give their heart only once. They have little problem keeping relationships separate from personal expectations.

Children and Family: Family matters have an important place for those born on January 15. They have leadership potential and are often regarded as the scion of the family. As parents, they encourage their youngsters to develop independence and self-sufficiency yet are anxious to protect them from failures and disappointments.

Health: Although blessed with general good health, January 15 individuals possess an extremely sensitive nature that can negatively affect their physical well-being. In order to retain emotional and physical equilibrium, it's important for them to practice meditation, especially before bedtime.

Career and Finances: January 15 natives know how to take care of business. Career goals play a vital role in their lives, though it may take a long time for them to discover where their deepest interests lie. When they do settle on a career, they give their all. They enjoy making money, although that isn't an especially important factor in their career choice.

Dreams and Goals: Although they wear the mask of practicality with conviction, people born on January 15 have a complicated nature. They want to create a legacy. Their dreams may be far more fanciful and creative than those who know them might expect. For this reason, they often turn to the creative arts for personal expression. Painting, writing, or music help them achieve their inner potential.

Last day as a 28 year old.

It isn't only because so many people have told me that 29 was a huge year for them, an age when change was rampant and clarity common, but I have a feeling that it is going to be an amazing one for me. Already, in the past week, I feel like everything makes sense in life, that taking this unemployed time has brought me more gifts then originally imagined.

These are some of my hopes for my 29th year of life:

-To remain open-minded and positive with people, situations, and choices
-To continue to see my art as intensely important to the person that I am
-To give
-To be gentle with myself when I get frustrated, confused or scared
-To immerse myself in study that brings meaning, education and purpose
-To travel, this country and others
-To see my family and friends more regularly

I am sure there are many more small hopes but these are the larger ones that stand out in my mind. I also hope to be a more regular and consistent blogger, getting over the laborious task of photographing my paintings so that they look good on the computer.

That satisfied yet slightly sad feeling you get when finishing a great book

Lounging snugly in bed on Monday morning, the last day of 2007, having just finished reading Julie and Julia: 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell and feeling blissfully hopeful and happy. This book is hysterical. It follows Julie as she tackles all of the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a years time. I often felt like I was standing next to Julie, sympathizing with her difficulties and triumphing with her successes in the kitchen. The way that she uses words honestly and concocts sentences as if she was relaying stories to her good friends gives the book a personal feel for sure. Google the Julie/Julia Project to see her culinary journey....

I can't help noticing how the last two books I have read have been about women my age writing about projects they took on because they didn't really know what they wanted to do with their lives (before Julie and Julia I read Hack by Melissa Plaut, a chronicle about the adventures of being a female taxi driver in NYC). This book trend is not lost on me and after reading both I have felt great surges of hope that this 28-soon-to-be-29 year old will figure something magnificent out for the new year.

Celebrated my friend Becky's 30th birthday last night amongst great people and delicious pizza. It was one of those evenings where engaging conversations just continually flowed, whether or not you had a glass of wine in your hand. There are good people in Jackson, Wyoming...

I am going to write down some resolutions for the coming year on tomorrows post. I prefer to call resolutions " Things-to-Work-On" because this allows for a little more slippage. Call it a lack of willpower maybe but I like to think of it as just being gentle with myself if I happen to fall a little short of my purposed goal(s) :)

I do have some art to post too. I keep giving creations away before taking photos, a habit that I have to fall out of....My first Thing-to-Work-On.

Obsessed with Olive....

I can only imagine how I would be as a mother to a human baby. My relationship with my dog of two and a 1/2 years gives some indication of the type of mother I would be. A photo-crazy one for sure but also a loving one, eager to learn how to best communicate with my little one. As friends and boyfriend can attest I am a sucker for books on dogs and how to be a better dog owner. My parents gave me Merle's Door by local Wyoming author Ted Kerasote for Christmas. I have already read the book and adored it, crying myself through the last three chapters while looking at Olive and giving thanks for her existence. I must read for sure. Thanks for having good taste Mom and Dad!

We ( Jamie, Olive and myself) all had, as Olive's photo shows, a really nice, bright Christmas. Much to be thankful for....

Last night turned into a date night, one of those evenings when I felt like I was with someone for the first time as well as with my boyfriend of four years. Which equals a great night. All the art galleries were open late, indulging visitors with wine, holiday treats and good art. My scientifically-inclined boyfriend has amazed me numerous times with the way that he can talk about artwork, often finding meanings that I haven't even thought of. His awareness seems to support the idea that anyone can talk and appreciate art and in fact, some of the best are those that appear to be furthest away from the " creative" world. After delicious buffalo burgers, catchy tunes by the Boondocks, serious conversation and some good laughs ( Jamie was cougar bait. Residents of ski towns will know what I mean.) I came home full, not just of burger but true happiness.

Unlike a few days ago when I hiked Glory on a bluebird morning, the valley stretching out below Jill and I, today was a day when being blown over on the boot pack was a good possibility. At times it was pure white-out with the winds gusting around 50 knots. And I was on skis! Relying on bad visibility and slightly out of control I made my way down Shovel Slide, making a few good turns in the process. Skiing is much more work than snowboarding. Olive became a polar bear cub, her face a mask of white with only black eyes shining through. It was too cold to pull out the camera then but this photo shows her after we reached the safety of the truck. A mix of tired-dog and slight annoyance at having her photo taken by her doting "mom" yet again.

A Very Merry Christmas

I finished watching The Polar Express this morning, curled up in the Lazy Boy while a young fire crackled, and could picture the illustrations from the book. The movie's graphics are amazing and the story, although embellished, is still sweet and meaningful. It brings a little magic back into Christmas....

It has been a good day, a good week. The craziness of this holiday only intensifies each year and the searching for presents, the rushing of events, the hurrying seem to miss the point of it all completely. It was nice to get my presents off to my family and to be there for Julia as she dealt with the surgery and beginning rehabilitation of her knee. Finishing Jame's painting depicting our upcoming summer adventures in the desert, watching Olive play with her new toys, having Beth, Jamie's mom, here to celebrate the holiday and talking to family and friends on the phone were what made this holiday special and made me feel more festive.

I hope to be more regular with this blog as everything holiday related settles. I also hope to be more artistically inclined.

A Merry Christmas to all!

Start of a new month

Yesterday, trying to fight this depleting cold, I hiked Mt. Glory with Jamie and Olive and two hundred other anxious, powder-loving individuals. It was a beautiful morning, the sky tinged pink, and the hike up was not too strenuous. The ride down was beautiful, powder spraying up, carving long arcs down pure blankets of soft whiteness. Olive was in utter heaven. After the first one hundred yards of the boot-pack she turned around, snow decorating her face so only her eyes shown black, and seemed to say through her wide ear-to-ear grin, " Mom, this is so great." Having a dog who finds joy in every adventure makes any trip, even a hike up Mt. Glory with hordes of other people, enjoyable.

I am almost done reading Blessed Unrest by Paul Hawken. I need to read it again to get all of the valuable information and insights out of it. It is a beautifully written book, full of optimism and confidence in the direction of the world. Hawken centers his book around the increasing influence of environmental and social non-profits, foundations, and organizations on the world and how these entities exist not through ideologies but through truth. His words and research give hope that through making yourself an aware and thoughtful person on this planet you can begin to live in a less impactful way. Human beings are part of nature and the harm we do to Earth, we do to ourselves.

5 Grateful's for December 1:

1. Ginger tea

2. The handmade, artistic advent calendar from my Mom.

3. Olives playfulness with other dogs on Cache Creek Trail.

4. Jamie's hug.

5. Our wood stove on this cold, clear night.

Gratitude

There is so much to be thankful for.

I found out yesterday, opening the Daily, that an acquaintance of mine had died in a car crash in Mexico. I know his wife of six-months, Mandy, better but had spent enough time with Chris to know that he was a really good man, one of those gentle human beings who effortlessly spreads kindness. And he and Mandy were really in love.

Life can just be gone so quickly. I know that I do not think about that enough. Not in a morbid sense, but with deep appreciation for all the gifts that surround me each day. My dogs cuddles when I wake up in the morning, the hot coffee Jamie leaves for me every morning, my ability to get out of bed and go for a run, the mountainous view when I come down Putt-Putt trail, the snug house that I live in, the wonderful friends that surround me...the list is endless. Upon hearing of her friend Phil's cancer, Babs said, " That is why you make sure that you are doing what you love...". And those words echoed through my head as I read the small article about Chris's death. Get over the fear and realize that time is valuable. Chris led a giving life. He bestowed numerous gifts upon the students of this valley and was an active participant in Habitat for Humanity. My heart goes out to his family and to Mandy who is having to deal with physical pain as well as the deep emotional loss of the man that she had decided to share her life with.

Just a few photos from the last week:




Jamie's sister Nikki looking out over the back side of the Tetons while skiing at Grand Targhee. My first time this season back on the snowboard and it felt great.




One of the cows that I made out of foam-core for Dancers' Workshop's production of The Wizard of Oz. This poor beast will be caught up in the cyclone that sends Dorthey's house flying....After one rehearsal he had already bent a leg and broken his tail.

The full moon that I got to see rise over the Snake River, a fishing bald eagle silhouetted in its intense glow. This shot is taken after the moon had risen a ways in the sky.