What the heck!  I say, what the heck.

It’s been such a beautiful day here!  Can you say the same?

This morning, we strolled the dogs down by the river and noted that it finally froze up.  Steam was rising from open patches of swirling mountain water and the trees and tall grasses lining the banks were hoary with frost.  Nature is a lace maker.  I see it time and time again.

This afternoon, I took myself for an eight mile run.  My sweat was turning to ice in the flat sections of trail.  I thawed out while hill climbing.  I took off my sunglasses, covered my chin with windbreaker and was dazzled by the snow, the whiteness of the hills and the sun stuck tight, for a matter of moments, on the crest of Kinport Peak.  In the distance, while heading Northwest, I could see the Lemhis, Beaverheads and the Buttes out on the Snake River Plain — glistening in the light cast by the sinking sun.  The rocky top of Scout Mountain blushed pink with alpine glow.  It was good running.  It was gorgeous being.  When I arrived home again I fell into a hot bath, scrubbed the sweat away, deep conditioned, and soaked in the clawfoot.  I was hungry as a bear, so I ate like one.

The mail came!  I love the mail!  There were Christmas cards from some of you — oh joy!  Oh joy of my heart and the fullness and light of the Advent season!  There was this utterly beguiling wing bolero from the talented and kind Ayla up at Hold Your Ground.  Ayla, it fits like a glove and is soft as a feather.  I wear it and am a white dove riding through quartz crystal rains.

And now, I am most ingloriously going grocery shopping because while I’d love to laze about in the parlor daintily nibbling rhubarb pie while sipping rooibos tea, I have real life details to tend to.  Everybody say, “Boooo hisssss.”  Whilst out, I may do a dash of Christmas shopping for the handsome and rather strapping RW (known by some as The Smoke Daddy).  He has requested all sorts of absurd things that will keep him alive and well next time he’s in the middle of nowhere on a hunting trip or lost in the barren lands, I can’t help but comply.

In the days to come, there will be the official announcement and call for your Christmas tree photographs!  It’s that time of year again, can you believe it?  We had…I think…125 entries last year?  RW will be editing images and building this contest blog post for days this year!  We are delighted and excited and thrilled to once again share this season with you.

Be well, dear hearts.

Until we meet again!

x

Comments

  1. Today has been windy but beautiful. Sadly I’ve been stuck in an office all day!

    Tyler was asking about the Christmas Tree Contest. I think he’ll be entering for us this year.

    • OH NO.
      Wind in the desert.
      Sometimes there’s nothing worse.

      If it’s any consolation, I tried on a shirt tonight while shopping and the static collect issue I developed in a scant ten seconds was TERRIFYING. I bought the shirt. It’s very twinkly. You would love it! Perfect holiday garb!

  2. mashed potatoes says

    WHAT THE HECK???? oh joy!!!! hahaha.
    holy crow- what a gorgeous PINK WINGED top!!!! woweeeee. very lovely.
    that RW. what a mensch!
    beautiful writing- as always. and inspired.
    cute butt. yup.
    and you make snow and frost sound like it’s something i can’t live without. hmmmm.
    thinking, thinking.

    • You get the comment award for this post.
      I’m blowing a kiss.

      It’s just so PRETTY in the winter time! The cold can make me uncomfortable….but so can heat…..but the cold makes me feel ALIVE and pink cheeked and frosty and beautiful. I love it.

      When I was at the grocery store, I could tell who had just come in off the ranch — they all looked rosy and beautiful and healthy. I think winter makes our skin bloom as though it’s made of roses.

  3. I’m delighted you have better weather than us today. This morning it was -24 and windy. My poor pup looked so sad when I let her out this morning, and came bounding back inside, just to climb back into bed. I spent all day sipping quietly sipping coffee and updating the website photographs. Wyoming weather, let me tell you!

  4. wow.. there must have been some frosty ‘lace’ in your lungs from that run – you are a champ!
    Soooo.. if you’re getting mail – does that mean you share your address with those of us fans who would love to send you something?! ;o) Maybe you’d sneak it to me by e-mail??
    I’d love to know what a ‘man’s’ survival list looks like c/o RW – mine would likely just say “chocolate”.
    xo!
    Mel :o)
    needle and nest

  5. Your run sounds glorious, indeed. I was running in 60 degrees and sun (winter?) and was watching my great blue heron hunt gophers!

  6. every day is wonderful: every day is a Gift.

  7. oh man, that bolero is amazing. wowzers. white wings seem like a perfect way to embrace the clean cold of winter, the glow of the holiday season.

  8. Longing for snow. Aching for snow. Perhaps even pouting.
    Keep an eye on your mail, love headed your way!

    • I’d send you some of mine but I am a bit of a snow hoarder. Ask the people in Colorado to send you some — they always take most of ours. The storms pass through and dump on the Eastern front of the Rockies. You cannot imagine my annoyance.

  9. I ought to enter your Christmas tree contest just to give you a great laugh! For the past 2 years we have had a fake tree up on a table because I was afraid my crawlers would eat the needles and pull it all apart. This is the last year with the fake one, and we decided to place it on the floor, not realizing how TINY it really is! We have our own Charlie Brown Christmas tree!
    While decorating it, my almost-3-year-old boy kept saying over and over, “Oh, thank you sooo much!” Preciousness!
    My almost 2-year-old daughter has made it her goal to redecorate the tree on an hourly basis – Grrr! It may end up back on the table if she doesn’t settle soon!
    🙂 Enjoy your day! (love the shard necklace, btw!! Amethyst is my hubbie’s favorite stone/color. More to come??)

    • Everybody is welcome! Seriously. EVERYBODY. We do it to help grow the sense of community here. No photo is ever turned away.

      Yes. More shards to come! Thank you for liking it!

  10. Good Morning Star Shine,

    I just must say, that bolero was meant for you.

    Loves from the west,
    – K

  11. Though I found out about this post last night after your email, with the picture of you wearing your Wing Bolero so beautifully, I have been shy to step in and say something – I can be a little behind the scenes kind of gal and forget to say… So officiously & affectionally I wanted to say thank you here on this post, for sharing the Bolero I made for you with your tribe and honouring me by doing so.
    Bless you dear woman.
    xo

  12. In deepest, darkest Hampshire, UK it is also freezing today! Our little town looks so Dickensian: all sloping, wonky roofs; mist hanging over the trees, over the fields. The little chimneys are pumping smoke into the air. Its all very English and oh, so purty.

    Thank you, thank you, dear Plume for bringing a little Idaho-cheer to this house-bound gal! I love the winter and though (as this is England) we’re unlikely to see significant snow fall, the crispy, crunchy days do so much to lift the spirits!

  13. “…nature is a lace maker…”
    isn’t that the truth?
    as always, love your perspective Jillian.

  14. Gorgeous bolero! 🙂