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Showing posts from December, 2020

Snowy Speculations

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If I could paint, I would have tried to replicate the landscape very early this morning. Illuminated by the faintest hints of light and hours before sunrise, the cold, stark landscape lay completely still in its snowy blanket. Naked trees stood proudly and quietly against this backdrop, this palate of pure white an unforgiving place for any creature, big or small, to attempt to cross without drawing attention to its existence at this time. Even our ancient tire swing looked sleepy and droopy, suspended precariously close to the ground, as if the effort of hanging from a tree limb was too much for it. To the east, the only rays of light visible were the ones coming from the across the river, and even those seem hushed and muffled, like a child tired and murmuring not to wake them up just yet.  The young families down the road have gone all out with Christmas lights this year. Bright colours adorn the night skies and my neighbours even have a Christmas Cat and a Christmas Dinosaur that i

Christmas in the Country

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  Christmas in the Country In these times of uncertainty, I am reminded more than ever that our mental health can be reflected and improved by what surrounds us. This year, more than any other year that I can remember, everything that we hold dear has been questioned and life as we know it has been brought to a grinding halt. As I woke up to that dusting of snow last week and the world was covered in an undisturbed radiant splendor, I was reminded again of why our family chose to live in a rural setting. Before the dogs were let out to start the day, I took a few minutes to admire the pillowy tops of the snow on the trees and the vast expanse of fields and vineyards, quiet and serene on that cold, winter's morning. Later that day I spent some time cutting wild grapevines for some rustic Christmas decor and as I was listening to the quiet around me and feeling the warmth of the sunlight on my face, I felt a sense of peace. The occasional crack of a twig breaking in the forest as my