Happy 2018 Winter Solstice! Gratitude reigns supreme....

Dear friends,

We are at the longest night length of the year and the shortest day length and it's a momentous day for many. The return of the light is everything to us....two outdoor souls ill equipped for long luxurious night time basks in the dark and cold. The return of light and warmth once again frees our spirits and we appreciate it more with each passing year.

..This is the solstice, the still point

of the sun, its cusp and midnight,

the year’s threshold

and unlocking, where the past

lets go of and becomes the future;

the place of caught breath, the door

of a vanished house left ajar...

― Margaret Atwood, Eating Fire: Selected Poetry 1965-1995 

We spend our precious daylight hours outdoors, soaking up the magic of the winter season and the dear friendship of kindred spirits.

We marvel at lepidopteran life that awakens with the warmth of sunshine and move about in their little grass homes munching a bit here and there and finding a new cozy slumber spot to nestle into. This Virginia Ctenucha caterpillar roamed the old field on this little 3.5 acres in mid-December. Adults of these moths number in the dozens and dozens and dozens here in the summer time; that tells us they are happy here...all they need to survive is right here on this small, but mighty patch of ground.

Our love for this planet, one another, our family, our friends, for respect and gratitude, for our furry and feathered friends and so much more grows infinitely more important every day we live...

and every time we say good bye. Flora left us at only 8 or 9 years old on 12/5/18, a victim of cancer. She was so loved every day of her life since she found us and we miss her in that black hole kind of way. We look for her unconsciously in all her spots, don't see her and sinkingly remember. She now returns to the Earth next to her long gone friend, Bobcat. Wildflowers will grow from her gift of nutrients and we will spread them far.

With every death, we are reminded of the preminent importance and joy of life. Our years are adding up and we are slowly learning the gift of presence...something always talked about, but not really experienced or understood until we found that place that puts us in our hearts, not thinking, just feeling and loving and appreciating.

That place is one you know, no doubt, if you follow this blog.

We find presence and joy every single time we look around this big, beautiful planet.

And so we hold onto hope, knowing the efforts we put forth to help our planet are small in comparison to the destruction wrought by powers so much larger than us, but we continue to join with you, to put forth goodness and make sure to let joy and gratitude seep in and overwhelm us. What better gift can we offer this life we get to live?

We soaked up much-needed sunshine this past week, while offering goodness: sorting native seed - the bearers of tremendous functional medicine for this planet.

In case you missed our Wonder Wednesday videos on You Tube, I've linked to the most recent below. These are a glimpse of the spark that lights us up - captured just for you. Please share yours with us too because we feel we all need more light and understanding in our lives...

Saving Birds

Tipping Plants Pt. 1 Tipping Plants Pt. 2

Witch Hazel, Clear Streams and AZT plans

Happy Winter Solstice dear friends and family. We are so excited for the returning light!

Many hugs and much love.
j&s

P.S. Soundtrack:

Atlantic City
House of Winston
I Believe