A Valentine for You

Looking back

Time enough this winter to pore through sketchbooks … 8 are complete! Many pages I’ve never posted, so this one wanted to make an appearance. One of our trips to NYC, before we decided to move, I tell the story of Kennis and her Polaroid camera. Drawing creates memory … and it seems to also create friends. Lucky me.

MMXXI

I spent my holiday days in the sketchbook, in review. 2020 was a big year for me, and I am grateful. And yet, perhaps my greatest accomplishment was growing Massachusetts garlic, braiding the batch that now lives in the kitchen. We’ve planted twice as many for next year. Fingers crossed . . . on all counts.

Almost There

This ballot box has been in use in our town for a very long time. Put in the ballot, turn the crank, the bell rings, the number goes up 1, the vote is counted.

As I watch 2020 flying out the door, I’m going to be the contrarian. It’s been an incredibly valuable year, one that will change us, is changing us, in ways we never imagined (unless we are sci-fi devotees), and in ways that are not all bad. This year is heralding us into something we can perhaps imagine far better. To slow down. To conserve. To honor the ‘other,’ no matter who or what it might be. To be alone, and cherish that time. To be contemplatives and activists. To vote!

On November 4, the day after elections, we still didn’t know who our president for the next 4 years would be. It was a difficult day, and the only way I could bear up was to hold a day (it turned out to be many days) of silent vigil.

On November 3, the day of the election, I showed up at our tiny town hall to do my small duty; I volunteer at the poll. Our town has about 1700 residents. 1504 are registered to vote, and through the course of that day our votes were counted – 1338 of them. For that, I am deeply proud, both of this small town and our large nation.

Be of good cheer . . . please! Welcome in the future, and do what you can do to make it better.

End of One Year …

It’s been one not-much-drawing of a year … we visited this church across from the South Amherst Commons on a really nice fall day, brought our chairs and sat under the autumn trees shedding leaves in the late sunshine. Also across the street, in the Munson Library greens, a dance class was carrying on, working toward a recital. Pretty luscious.