hello, dear readers!
i feel refreshed & renewed. luke & i just got back from our trip to southern missouri {lebanon if anyone is familiar} to see luke’s family & talk about the past year & goals for 2010. it was such a nice trip. we played several board games, constructed origami figures & ate many delicious meals. early one morning, luke & i took our cameras out-and-about to find a breathtaking scene of golden fields, bare branches, & a frozen pond covered in a foggy stillness. on our way back to the cabin, as the sun rose higher in the sky, a warm light diffused into the sky to illuminate the fog & leave a golden embrace around us. it was the perfect ending to our winter break & a great beginning to our new semester with classes. i am really looking forward to my beginning fibers class. our units include dying fabric {which we start tomorrow!}, basket weaving, book binding, & paper making. i have a feeling that i will use this class as my little oasis in the midst of piles of books & papers in my other classes.

well, i hope your weekend was wonderful. it is so good to be back! enjoy your day, friends!

as we were driving home from the laundromat, a car full of four loads of laundry + a dear {friend}, i was inspired by the snowflakes falling onto our car & melting as they reached the windows, the lights of cars zooming past us, and the white blanket of snow covering the road ahead. i was inspired by {shari’s} {photos} of blur, light & winter whites. so, i snapped a few myself.
i am amazed at the inspiration that fills my screen each morning as i take a couple of minutes to read some of my {favorite} {blogs} & see photos from {flickr} {friends}… beauty at my fingertips every moment of the day. it is a real delight to be a part of this tiny community of bloggers. you guys are awesome & a true blessing to my life. just wanted you to know that…

—–
in other news, i am looking for a new job. i am so thankful to have my job, working at an independently-owned stationery store in downtown, but luke & i are looking toward the future. i have applied to a handful of montessori schools & to the public library, both places that would serve as great experience for my degree & future career. until then, my boss has offered to pay me to continue to do our window displays at the store. my favorite thing to do! so, i am really excited & very anxious for the future.

i hope you all have a wonderful day. lets notice the small delights of today & be thankful.

+i’ve had a bit of cabin fever lately… i’m really looking forward to our little road trip next week
+enjoying bags of frozen zucchini from the farmer’s market, from this past summer, & making loaves of delicious bread
+making too many sweet treats: the best chocolate chip cookies {recipe soon, i promise!} & lemon bars {i ate these from the pan yesterday!}
+listening to {this} on repeat
+walking in the deepest of snow i’ve ever seen
+dinner dates & crafting nights with the dearest of friends
+not cooking dinner! only dessert…
+dreaming about gardening plans for this summer & what herbs to plant
+inspired by {this} entry
+learning to felt… new earring ideas are in the making!
+preparing for the love fest art show at the end of january
+quiet moments spent looking out the window
+{this} new series from shari
+sipping on my new favorite- earl grey tea
+working on knitting a new scarf

——
i almost wrote this entry last night when the day had kicked me hard, but then decided to simply go to sleep & wake-up this morning to write. i am so happy i did. i feel so fresh… a new beginning today. so much to look forward to. so much that i won’t get to. but it’s okay. because it always is.

have a wonderful day, friends.