and so we begin again

there is something really satisfying about eating home grown vegetables. my hubby is doing such an amazing job with the garden. we have carrots to last us all winter. they will only get bigger and sweeter as the weeks pass.

i think that the garden is my first metaphor for 2010. it needs tending, it produces amazing things if you care for it properly [or sometimes even if you don't], it changes - day by day, season by season, it is fulfilling and hard work....

we had a bit of a sad ending to our year.



we had to say goodbye to our kitty chinaski [you can read about him in this old post]. the above photo kind of sums him up. even sick he would purr and talk back if you talked to him [and his purr was this motor, luscious, vibration]. he would always outstretch his paw to touch you if you came near.

all pets are special to their owners. but chini - he was also special to our neighborhood. everyone knew the three-legged cat. he was best friends to major [i hope they are hanging out together now eating popeye's chicken]. people would come and talk to me about how much they loved him. the mayor of our block. a once in a lifetime cat.... such a trooper. such a good good soul.

at the end and beginning of years we reflect so much... i keep reading wonderful summations of the year past. i can't seem to package each of my months nicely in a few memories. in some ways the days and weeks and months have become one long blur - and yet in other ways there are distinct and clear moments of joy, excitement, sadness, newness, fear - of being ALIVE. i can't help but think that it is these extremes that keep us spinning, and as we see saw from one to the other we get to dance a little in the space between - reflect in moments of calm, and catch our breath for the next bit.

a happiest of new years to everyone. may 2010 bring exactly what you want and need and are capable of handling.