All Things Great and Small

The frost on the blade of grass sparkles. It is only the second cold snap of this unusually warm winter. The forecast in Colorado has been averaging the same highs as Phoenix throughout most of December. However, this morning Old Man Winter reached his long arm out from the mountains to dust us with cold.

My breath pours out in a mist in front of my face as I watch Snips ramble over the frozen grass - still green. I wonder if the icy spears will slice her paws, or if they will snap and break, finally accepting winter. It is our early morning ritual. I stand with my hot coffee while she checks the neighborhood.

When I was a child my mother would tell me the frost was painted across the world by Jack Frost. I loved the idea of a magical man painting the world - a magical Bob Ross decorating the world while I slept. Happy little crystals here and there climbing on top of each other to create a castle of cold. I wonder if when I die, will I wish I had spent more time looking at each individual crystal? Or will I have forgotten the wonder these tiny pieces of ice? And so I crouch down, sloshing my coffee in the grass, melting several blades worth of crystals trying to capture the full experience. If Nic were awake and in this moment, he would scoff and tell me that by trying to 'have' the crystals, I am ruining them. He is right, but today I feel that I need to experience everything more deeply - more fully, completely.

You see, my friend died this week. Life was stolen from her too young. Her genius was not ready to go and yet, it was. I did not have the privilege of knowing her the way I wished I had. I did not get to learn from her all I might have learned. She was a person who looked carefully at life and tried hard to really see it. I wish I had had more time to see the world through her eyes. The world is a darker, colder place today without her.

As the sun rises over the plains, the field of frozen grass ignites in fury of sparkles, a testimony to the power of small things, small people in this great life. My time with her was small, but my life is alight with the wonder she gave me, so I pick a blade of grass and hold my breath as I look carefully as the tiny crystals coating it. Then I bless all things great and small.

Comments

Five Fab Days in Florida - Tampa

Let me preface this post/trip with this disclaimer: We are not Florida people. (Nothing against Florida people. I know some Florida people and I love them. I just have a complicated relationship with Florida). We are, however, Scottish people. When we learned the Scots would be in Florida this spring, we made the decision to go to Florida. I had never been, and Nic had not been for years and years. So, another adventure was in store for us. Nic and I awoke early (WAY early) on Wednesday morning to catch a flight to Tampa, where we planned to meet up with our Scottish family for five fab days of Florida. Things at work have been hard for both of us, so we came to this holiday so ready to relax, and very thankful that Paddy is an excellent trip planner. We travelled from Tampa to Kissimmee, where their daughter was playing tennis. Our afternoon was spent lying by the pool, soaking up the sun, and quickly catching up. We planned to pop down to Cocoa Beach to see the launches. Paddy h...

The Blind Leading the Blind Tour ~ June 2026 ~ Coming Soon

Who : This gang (minus my dad, who has informed us he is never leaving the country again). Only my sister does not have r etinitis pigmentosa , and my dad, who is not going. Not to disparage my in-laws, Jennie, Sharon, Scott, Mae, and my husband, Nic, are all coming, too. They can all see, too. It just sounds more dramatic to tell you the blind people are going. It seems anti-climatic to include people who can see. Still, the blind are almost the majority. When : June 2026 Where : Paris, France Why : Because we have to go while we can still see. This is the first official post of The Blind Leading the Blind Tour because although we have been dreaming about this, WE ARE OFFICIALLY GOING. Consider this the official announcement of The Blind Leading The Blind Tour. Included in this trip are seven full days with this cast of characters (minus Dad) and their better halves. Nic and I will have a Side Quest. Each of my siblings will have their own side quests, bu...

2026 ~ Word of the Year

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.” –Desmond Tutu In my annual tradition of choosing a word for the year, I found myself this morning reflecting on last year's word: Well . Unfortunately, last year (yesterday and the 364 yesterdays before that) was a bit of a train wreck. In a brief review and update of some of the goals and ambitions I put forth last January: We did not go to Vietnam or Alaska. Neither of those were real goals, more manifestations for the future. We did focus on the house. We updated my office, installed new HVAC for the house, painted the living room, and we are in the process of redoing the downstairs bathroom to practice for the upstairs bathroom. When I say, 'we,' I mean Nic. I have stood by and nodded throughout these projects and consulted on colors. Nic has done all of the work. I worked hard on getting back to running my usual mileage. I improved my overall health. I am proud of the work I have done physicall...

Bubble an' Squeak

Search This Blog