November

and that season begins

a time for gathering, for thankfullness, for 

warm toes and frosty noses, for hearty soups and sweet smelling pies, for fireside chats and poking logs, and finding hidden faces in the shadows. for coats and crispy cruchy leafs afoot, for cinnamon scented packages and garlands on the mantle

toasty scarf awaiting toasty leggings

one of my favorite seasons in spite of lesser daylight. 

the colors

the bounty

the rituals

jason, victoria, ollie and ozzie visiting from costa rica

so we celebrated a birthday....tatiana turned 27 on a bittersweet note since she is going through a rough spot right now.  but she was happy, we were happy and best of all, we were together.

martin is back from chile after five arduous months working on his vacation home in puerto varas so it was a double celebration.  

she got two cakes!

it has been a strange couple of weeks; so so many of my friends going through some pretty serious problems.  so i have been sad for them, supportive and involved.  very little creativity other than more around the house and plenty in the garden.

embracing the simple joys. our butterfly bush has summoned the monarchs and bees and the occasional hummingbird and i have literally sat outside observing them for hours, calming the soul of so

much distress.

can be so fleeting....up and down that path we go in a pendulum of challenges.

but then the magic speaks its secret language and we know all's right in the end.