Montana Marimba Ensemble

Foto of the band at the latest Libby concert.
My awesome friend, Helen, is in this band. It was a really fun show at a great venue and we started it off with a hula hooping workshop and then a potluck dinner! Great fun. I had friends here from Idaho and the kids were invited up on stage to try out the marimbas at the intermission, well, actually all of us were invited to play. And play we did! I got some great fotos of the kids, but don't want to post other people children on the blog, I haven't asked permission!
I posted the first foto from my ipad, it was supposed to post in a large size, but did not.
Now I added this extra one and resized using the pc rather than the pad.
I am hoping to keep blogging from the "road" as I embark on my European adventure on Sunday.
The posts may be short and the fotos small, but hopefully I can work out the bugs and you can see the sights from my perspective! Stand by!

Snow Days

 It snowed yesterday.

We got about 6 inches at home.

Our world is beautiful again.

It was beginning to look like the early signs of spring,

the meadow had a lot of bare ground showing.

Yesterday when I got home there were roughly 10 deer

hanging out in around the yard.

This is what I saw this moring.

There were 3 of them sleeping out under the trees.

They didn't even budge when I shovelled the path.

 I wish I could capture that blue morning glow.

This will have to do.

Use your imagination.

That first morning light on new snow is SO gorgeous!

And I love how the snow outlines this wonderful piece of garden art my friend, Michael, made for me.

I think I take a foto of it every year. I just can't help it.

Day 6!

Yep! That's right! Day 6 of sunshine!
Temps are in the teens at night and the sun warms our hearts
enough to believe it is warm during the day.
The ice gets the lightest sheen of water on it
during the sun times and then freezes smoother than
evah at night.....
It is amazingly wonderful ice right now.
And the Moon is Huge and lights the night with
these glorious blue tints to the snow and shadows.
(and ice on the driveway, OH MY, the ice on the driveway!
'tis treacherous out there.)
Winter Wonderland defined.

Bull Lake 365

 We have had 4 glorious days of great ice AND sunshine!

Just look!

 Mighty Ibex Peak.

Love this place.

One can only get this view from the middle of the Lake,

on skates or in a boat (or swimming).

 My tele-blades.

These babies are FAST!

They are Finnish. You just slip your boots onto the blades and speed off.

 I wonder what it sounds like when the ice heaves up like this?

I skated Saturday and went home, came back and skated Saturday night and the ice

wasn't like this, just a compression crack,

came back Sunday to this big heave filled with water on either side!

It is fun to skate over, makes me feel rad!

And post skate glass of wine with Zeek on the deck, soaking in some of that

winter light!

Moonlight Sk8

 WEll, it wasn't a full moon yet, but the moon was big

and up early and the ice is amazing

and the sky clear,

 opportunity was knocking hard,

we answered!

As far as you can, hold your confidence.

Do not allow your confusion to squander

This call which is loosening

Your roots in false ground,

That you might come free

From all you have outgrown.



What is being transfigured here is your mind,

And it is difficult and slow to become new.

The more faithfully you can endure here,

The more refined your heart will become

For your arrival in the new dawn.

- John O'Donohue from For the Interim Time

Imbolc

Now is the time to nurture intentions, to feed and fuel and retool according to those intentions. Are my tools ready at hand, and honed for the work ahead? What gets in the way of my fullest creative productivity? How can I minimize obstacles, both inner and outer? What help do I need? What simple joys fuel my work?

How can I make sure I dance enough to keep me happy and inspired in the seasons to come? Dancers use a focal point, so that as they spin on the dance floor, they can stay oriented and not lose their balance or spin off in dizziness. Ritual at points on the wheel of the year can serve the same purpose.
 We can nurture the seeds of intention for the coming year. Letting go and focusing, cleansing and clarifying, are most appropriate activities for this cold part of the spring quarter. Every day is longer, offering more sunlight and the promise of greater warmth to come.