Jan. 31

our little darlings
they are driving me batty
save me from the snow

~ Maria

Jan. 30

Jan and Lois, Maui
College roommates rendezvous
Heidi, Maria

~ Jan

Jan. 29

Radiators hum,

whistling so happily.

I give thanks for warmth.

 

~ Twilla

Jan. 28

Hawaii trip ends

Today lava beds hard, sharp

Like bones, life now gone.

 

~ Jan

Jan. 27

drip.  drip. water speaks
rare silence glistens, restores
refuge in the tub

~ Maria

Jan. 26

Heidi, at Pastor's week, two years ago today:

farewell embraces
circle me round with firm warmth
for now, for later

~ Heidi, Jan. 26, 2012

Jan. 25

A surreal drive home tonight:

Snow encompasses,
obscures, fills the air like smoke
World unrecognized

~ Maria

Jan. 24

Haikuing with my almost six-year-old son:

Slurping hot chocolate,

naming your love of cougars,

creating haikus.

 

~ Twilla

Jan. 23 - two haikus

From Heidi's Mom and cousin together in Hawaii:

Orchids flung and float

Naming bakers from the past

Baked goods like manna

~ Jan

Sunrise and sunset

Memories scattered to the sea

Life brief beautiful

~ Juanita

Jan. 22

I play with my girl.

I imagine you with yours

in the Shepherd's care.

 

~ Twilla

Jan. 21

the onion's curling
a true glimpse, just a sighting
beauty in the soup

~ Heidi, Jan 21, 2012
(two years ago today)

Jan. 20

I have a dream, too
that one day my boys' hands hold
God's hand and all hands

~ Heidi, written MLK Day 2012

Jan. 19 - haiku #3

Sundays, thoughts of you,

your faith grew deep and wide, core

how's divine union?

 

~ Jan

Jan. 19 - haiku #2

Brave little nuthatch,

Facing into that cold wind

Keep singing your song

 

~ Twilla

Jan. 19 - haiku #1

Time rolls behind me
Like marbles on a wood floor
Memories scattered

~ Maria

Jan. 18

My sleeping daughter

Your forehead pressed against mine

My heart overflows

 

~ Twilla

Jan. 17

Visiting Heidi's brother Brad in Portland:

Japanese onsen

hot mineral springs near Portland

soaking in memories

~ Jan

Jan. 16

Approaching that flow

Longing for the words to come

Wisdom locked within

 

~ Twilla

Jan. 15

O cruel, wild world
How your winds blow, frazzle, tear
Will you restore us?

~ Maria

Jan. 14

How peaceful the night

Children finally slumber

Grateful mama knits

 

~ Twilla

Jan. 13

kitty at my feet
i love the white of your chin
upturned and charming

~ Maria

Jan. 12

snow sifting through white
skies low streets slow tires spin out
songs ring through the night

~ Heidi  (Jan. 20, 2012)

Jan. 11

many heads are bowed
sparkling, shining, flowing screen
The Call of the Phone


(* Note to self: Next time I see everyone around me staring at their phones --
determine to compose a haiku instead.)

~ Maria

Jan. 10

Snow reaches my knees

Wading through an endless white

Spring waits, buried deep.

 

~ Twilla

Jan. 9

Visiting Heidi's brother Brad in Portland:

Portland rain soaks all

Sun shines, gloomy clouds scatter

Life too, gloom and light

~ Jan

Jan.8

Mystery arrives in the form of a storefront.

village shop windows
bathed in a sea of white frost
treasures lie obscured

~ Maria

Jan. 7

For Heidi, who had a special eye for the beautiful intricacies revealed within creation.

Stars of frost gather

Intricate cold-bearing gifts

Sun-whispered glory

 

~ Twilla

Epiphany

From Jan Richardson, "In Wisdom's Path:"

The season following Epiphany has become for me a season of thinking about encounters, about the ways that the holy appears in my path, about the wise ones who have journeyed with me for moments or for years and have borne the gifts that I most needed.  This season also beckons me to think about the gifts I, too, bear, about the intense responsibility we have to discern what we have to offer and where to offer it.

On this bitter cold and magical evening of epiphany, where the winds whirl, and the dark is only pierced by the rush of the snow mixed with starlight, let us remember... encounters... the holy in our paths... the wise ones who have journeyed with us... and the gifts that they and we bear.

In that inspiration -- we begin this blog with a haiku from Heidi herself, perfect for this snowy eve (written on February 4, 2012):

Creator, hold me
closer than bark is to snow
etch me on your palm