waking sun

though days are usually powerfully sunny here, the sun has a hard time getting into the windows of our thick, old adobe walls.

except each morning, here in the kitchen.  and it often makes me smile.

birthday explore

the birthday plan had been that if the weather was bad, we'd watch movies all day.
but the weather was instead lovely. so we packed a faspa-style picnic, put on some layers, and headed out to explore.

from the cebolla mesa, where we ate sitting in what we decided was an old buffalo wallow. in the middle of the mesa desert, with no sound but the wind in the trees.
& then a drive up the mountains to near cabresto lake.

 where we found snow. and foraged the forest for pine boughs, wild rose hips & pine cones.

later we ate burgers, and a peaches & cream crumble pie. and he fell asleep from all the pie.
he thanks me for spending this time with him, doing his favorite things for a birthday. but now I can't imagine my life any other way.

seventh

a tractor ride. a kansas blue sky. his seventh birthday.

his cheeks aren't as chubby anymore. but his stories & ideas keep getting better.

and then the brother's birthday too. and though now 38 & 40, we are still her sweet ones.

1,000 miles

the train takes me the 1,000 miles back & forth, from kansas & new mexico,
and i'm learning the many definitions of "home"

light for the dark

November Night
by Adelaide Crapsey

Listen ..
With faint dry sound,
Like steps of passing ghosts,
The leaves, frost-crisp'd, break from the trees,
and fall.

all hallow's day

he asked to carve the pumpkin.

a day for remembrance of the people whose spirits are with us.
our hallowed ones. 
we celebrate those at peace.
a day for all saints.

and tomorrow, the souls. dia de los muertos.
a day in which we provide light for those that still search the darkness.