Our afternoons are sprinkled with stars. The trees sleep, yet still reach for the sky never giving up hope for summer's return. The sun nearly seems to disappear. What were once vivid hues of green give way to subdued pastels of purple, yellows and blues.
This month find coziness in spices full of warming energy. Serenity in the subtle magic of winter.
I stumbled upon some frozen blueberries in the freezer one day, and thought to make some scones. Fruit in the winter season is such a luxury, but especially citrus since it is not native to the area any time of the year. Lemon carries the warmth of the sun, blueberry compliments the tang of citrus with its sweet and earthy flavors. Baking warms the house as the oven heats. I was lucky to have lemon, having indulged in hot lemon tea lately to warm the soul.
I baked these one rainy morning when the sky was splashed with periwinkle clouds. We so often dismiss carriers of rain as being dull and grey. Do we ever stop and really gaze at a cloud? Notice the spectrum of color it truly encompasses? How often do we assume to know someone or something, without every having really stopped to observe or know them? How does our language limit our sight? The words we use to describe can be so limiting in thier scope.
I sometimes play a game called, 'what color is it really?', it originated years ago on long commutes to work. It is a game that started as an effort to improve my paintings. They look more realistic if the objects represented are colored as they are in real life. Often, when we have seen something a dozen times, we begin to assume we know the shape and color of it, our brains taking a shortcut to true observation.
The game has since become advantageous in an unexpected way, bringing a fresh awareness of surroundings. Perhaps the antidote to boredom is exploration. We should never stop exploring, no matter who or where we are in life.
The more I take the time to observe the world around me, the more delightful it seems. The subtle pastels of winter, are a magic all their own. The sun glistens like gold on the the trunks of tall oaks as it rises.
Perhaps the more beauty we see in the world, the more we will be motivated to care for it and those around us.
