Effervescence is…

Effervescence is a forest at daybreak.

I’ve spent the past four early mornings up on the mountain and it has been glorious!  Today the sun came out and I found myself stumbling about in some kind of wild stupor, blinded by the frenetic twinkle of frost melt and stream whistle.  The minutia of twig bend and water riffle made a symphonic, swelling song and I couldn’t help but listen in some sort of cross-eyed rapture to the gurgling and tweeting of the world around me.  Morning in a forest is rising light, star casting, those murmuring bubbles of life bending back on themselves and fizzing towards blue sky and timber tops.  Refraction!  Magnification of soul!  Upward gleaming!  I didn’t know where to look so I looked everywhere at once. I could hardly decide upon a point of focus before my senses swept me elsewhere.  Then!  Oh yes!  I had that sublime feeling that I was quite exactly where I was very meant to be.  I love that feeling.

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In a few scant hours I’ll be catching a flight home to Saskatoon.  The hither and tither of packing and un-forgetting has me scurrying around and feeling a bit too busy.  A bit too last-minute-nitty-gritty.  To be perfectly honest, I’d love to spend a couple of hours in my bathtub with a good book this afternoon instead of consternating over which shoes to pack along.  I’m also wondering where I put my passport and greencard…and if I should pack my skates.  That said, I can hardly wait to photograph my prairies, the horses, the Saskatchewan River.  I can’t wait to sip coffees at my favorite coffee shops, stroll Broadway, laugh uproariously with my sisters and shovel the driveway.  I can’t wait to trudge around in the snow and suffer the slow blinks that come with a biting wind chill.  It’s sick and demented, but I hope it hits -40C when I’m home (my Saskatchewan friends and family audibly groan when I wish for such a thing…).  I’ll be back to Idaho soon enough, right in time for one last week of work before I take my break for Christmas.  This surely is a bustling time of year!

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Some things I’ve been meaning to tell you about:

A few weeks ago, I made this  beef, vegetable & barley soup with our leftover Thanksgiving roast beast, or rather, it was actually an elk, vegetable and barley soup.  It was delicious.  I recommend.  I also made this with some of the pumpkins I brought home from the smokejumper base garden.  My mouth waters when I think about it!

I’m currently reading this, this and this.  RW and I have been watching this — it’s mostly lighthearted and I’ve never heard RW coo over fashion like he coos over Lemon’s style.  I’m going to have to develop a drawl and a penchant for bows.

I’ve been wearing the heck out of these.  If you go out tromping, in dampish terrain, on a regular basis, they’re something you probably need.

LOVE this.

Almost kept this.

Just so beautiful beautiful beautiful.  I’m going to teach myself how to bead like that.

One of my dear friends is hosting a brilliant advent calendar on her blog.  She’ll be featuring 38 artists over 20 days and there are so many beautiful things being given away.  I’m up later in the month with a couple of precious goodies!

How about this beautiful space?

These!  Actually…mostly everything here…usually.  She does such a great job.

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Be good little snow angels until I return.

X

Comments

  1. how beautifully you weave your words, and your photos too! 🙂

    have a swell time at home!

  2. My hearts sings with you! Have a great time at home with your family and friends!
    xo

  3. I laughed when you said – 40….thank you for all the links…I love checking links out…enjoy the trip to homeland… xx

  4. “….that sublime feeling that i was quite exactly where i was very meant to be. i love that feeling.”
    yes.
    i know exactly what you mean: i feel that way, also.
    xx

  5. Oh, that Feathers, Moon & Ivory Bone site…be still my heart. It takes me to all places vast and authentic. One minute I’m with Dylan by a mountain stream and the next I’m transported back in time to memories good and golden. Thanks you for finding it. Have a wonderful visit home. May the temperature drop to 40 below for you.

  6. I took in such a soothing deep breath from these photos, pure and fresh.
    Inhale – E X H A L E.

    oh yes, love that tumblr, a fav – and I happily loose myself on the pages of la porte rouge, simply classical. gotta love the interwebs!

    Song of the Open Road…marvelous. Happy Trails, Sugar Beet!

  7. Your blog is like a scavenger hunt for the senses (found a new blog to follow, thought of a book to share: The Forest Unseen, and remembered about the beading question you had…taught myself with a book.) My nostrils hurt thinking about that cold air; here in northern AZ it was 70 degrees – unheard of this time of year. Things are leafing out that shouldn’t be. But snow this weekend, Yay!

    I give a little clap and leap (not a stag leap) when your blog shows up in my reader. Sweet Travels.

  8. its a great time of year
    and you
    you are so awesome!
    glad to know there are souls like you out in this big vast world Miss J
    keeping’ it real…

    love and light

  9. oh! that ann hamilton piece. shall we fly to nyc & check it out tomorrow?? 😉

    happy break to you. be safe, be good, be golden.

    travel well.
    xxx
    *j

  10. enjoy the plains, and I hope you get your -40C.

  11. I hope you’re riding a horse, in temps so cold, snow so deep, and crystal snowflakes rest on your lashes. What a beautiful time you must be having with your family, in your great white north. x

  12. Hive looks really interesting. I think I’m going to get it at the library. Where did you find out about it?

  13. The colours in that first photo are so gorgeous. I keep coming back to it.
    Safe travels!

  14. Such gorgeous images~it’s always such a treat to visit here.
    Can you tell me what that beautiful red branch is? Just beautiful–and then followed by the frosty white of the next picture~makes my eyes happy!
    I hope you are having a wonderful time with your family~Eileen

  15. Jillian! How long will you be in Saskatoon for??? I’m also coming home for Christmas this year, AND bringing my baby girl (!!!). It’s been far too long my friend, hopefully our paths will cross again. Enjoy your holidays and I’ll try and be quick enough to snag another Noisy Plume piece for my collection!
    xxx

  16. So beautiful!

    ps – are you doing the Christmas tree contest again this year? It is one of my favorite parts of the holiday!

  17. Thank you all SO much for these kind and gentle comments. I cherish you. XX