Happy New Year

Happy new year, wonderful people! It seems to take me longer and longer to emerge from my Christmas break with each passing year. By the time I shut my studio down and finished packing and shipping orders on December 20th I was past the point of exhaustion. Though we both would cherish a visit with our families, it was a blessing to not climb into a truck or sit down in a plane on December 20th to travel home to Saskatchewan or Northern California for Christmas. We stayed home and filled our Christmas holiday with bird hunting, cooking wonderful food, baking, visiting with neighbors, watching old movies (is it just me or has hollywood scriptwriting mostly gone to pot???), riding our horses, and enjoying our pointer puppy, Son. I have only now emerged from my hibernation feeling deeply rested and hungry for life! I hope all is beautiful where you are. There’s so much to be grateful for every moment of every day.

Yesterday we were out bird hunting and I found myself crossing a boulder field at a good clip which is precarious work. The volcanic rubble I danced over was draped with slick patches of lichen, snow, ice, frost, and every now and again a big stone was unseated and wobbled beneath my boot adding a little haste to my stride. But old lava rock is gloriously textural, it has teeth that bite into boot soles like coyotes on cow femurs and when I maintained momentum, kept my legs flying fast, I begin to almost float over the rocks. It’s a wonderful sensation, moving like that with grace and speed and effortlessness.

I love to move through the broken lava spills as fast as I can, daring my legs to hammer harder while I balance with my shotgun in one hand. I don’t look right at my feet, it’s dizzying, instead I fix my eyes on where I want my feet to go. Yesterday I felt a welling up of thankfulness for the strength and agility of my body — that I can continue to go outside and function at a high level in hard country. Sometimes I find myself acutely aware of my aliveness. Does that happen to you? I think about the billions of pieces that make me and how they all work in concert. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. As is all of creation. Step outside, breathe the air, watch the clouds, get the sun in your eyes, move your feet, imagine your nerve endings twinkling like the lights of a city at night beneath a descending airplane. Feel it all and be thankful for it all. Beauty is still here, rich and abundant, behold!

Lastly, and importantly, Robbie and I celebrated our 17 year anniversary at the end of December. I can’t believe we’ve been married for so many years, we still feel so young. It’s been so much fun growing up together, even during the long stretches when the fire season keeps us apart. I am most thankful for Robbie’s love and friendship in this life (and Tater, I’m thankful for him, too).

I’m always thinking of you all, praying your hearts will be filled with peace even in the midst of turmoil, and that my own would be ever ready to serve you in any way I can. Happy new year.

Love,

Jillian