quiet observation

on days like this, i wake up to low-hanging clouds and the promise of rain, and find myself feeling relieved that i'll be forced to stay inside and tinker, putter, ponder the hours away.  novembers seem to treat me this way - full of quiet, full of contemplation, happy to work under little paper lantern lights strung loosely in the little branches i've given permanent standing in my tiny studio.  i may not have expansive working space, but i do have branches, and i do have little lights; this seems important to me.  why fight what i do not have?  i have the glow of light, and the warmth of home, a shelter over my head.  i have the freedom to work at what i want to do, most days.  november is good for this. it feels like it is raining everywhere today; i know this can't be the case.  but it is raining, raining, raining here, it is foggy and wet and white, i can hear the raindrops falling on the roof over my head, i can see the little diamond drops hanging from the bare trees outside.  november is good for this. i've thought so very much of snow, and winter, and white, this past week; the little glimpse of winter we were given has me thinking of glitter and sparkle and ice and snow.  maybe it is the comforts of the evening in this house at this time of year; maybe it is the soft light of the candles at night, the short days, the naked earth beyond my windowsill.  the absence of birdsong.  the quiet of dusk, of dawn.  i'm thinking of birds in the rain today, i'm thinking of little birds that fly into the stark winter forest that surrounds me. 
i'm thinking of the rain, and the way it has its own light, even as it seems to darken the skies, the mountains, the trees.  i'm thinking of the dark, and the light. xo

 

Comments

[julie]

still beautiful despite the rain and the clouds...

[Mary G.]

"why fight what i do not have?" This hit me hard, because I kick against the shorting of days, the too-brief period of sunlight during which I am stuck at my desk at work, the darkness in which I come and go to work each day. November -- and even better, December -- is good for loving the cold and the dark, the nadir, the death that precedes the new life that comes with the springtime. So I might as well embrace the cold and dark while it is here. Love what I have.

[Tina in McLeansville]

oh but my dear, look at what you do with what you DO have! i love days like this; that has not always been the case. i love that "burrowing down" feeling....when you can wrap up in a soft fleece (which happens to be blue, with big white snowflakes on it!), wrap your hands around a cup of steaming blueberry tea, take a deep breath and slowly exhale. we are entering a very peaceful time of year, which is a very good thing, as i need the peace and quiet of fall and winter now...and the softness of the lights. hugs....xo

[Kathryn]

I usually love rainy days. I love sound it makes and the way I feel like snuggling up inside with a warm blanket and a hot drink. I'm often most productive on those rainy days.

[susan]

These late autumn days bring such a wonderful feeling of peace and calm.
I love the coziness of these shorter days - sitting by the window and looking out at the bare branches of the trees and the starlings roosting, with my hands wrapped around a hot cup of tea. What could be better than that?

Do you have the flocks of starlings there, Nina? They always take my breath away - so amazing, I could watch them all day long.
Thank you for this post, Nina - it's just beautiful.

xo dusan

[Valerianna]

I am obsessed with clouds, fog and storms... and branches, and ridge lines partly obscured by clouds. This is what I paint - your photos. And November always inspires me with amazing mists and unbelievable skies.

[Debbie O'Brien]

Greetings from Australia to you Nina ! Ihave recently discovered your blog and it is one of the most beautiful ones I've seen. I enjoy so much your pictures and thoughts(and of course jewellery). It just makes me realise how lucky we are to have such beauty all around us,even in simple everyday things,like leaves,shells,birds nests, cobwebs,-the list goes on!!Looking forward to more of your posts,regards,Debbie

[Claire Smith]

Hey Nina, beautiful scenery outside your window, just love those photos. Peaceful, relaxing, cocooning, Autumn and Winter. time to hibernate, reflect, plan. I just love it.
Love your work and words.

[Sharon]

~I'm thinking you are one special,beautiful woman~

[Janet McDonald]

She wove the threads of her misty rainey day into the dark shadows of the mountians..and the cold winds whipped around her warm tidy home as she pondered...ox

[robyn]

Rain or shine...your posts are always like a balm to me. I love misty grey days, probably because they force me to stay inside and tinker ....or sometimes take walks without the sun drilling into the back of my neck. Grey days are contemplative days. It seems to be raining all over the world at the moment......from South Africa to Britain, to the USA to Australia.

[Renate]

November seems to be good for you - to distill the beauty of your world and your vision into something tangible...
such a beautiful little nest!

[Vickie]

I second that emotion. November is quite the vixen. Swirling misty skirts and glittering breath peaking between the trees. Sparking shiny dark eyes peering out of the downy nest, safe from, but wild with, the storm. Hanging red berries and tapping frost here and there. November is not afraid to mark the passing of stars into autumn's deep sky.

[somepinkflowers]

simple lovely post
of being
in the Now

:-)

i feel the Same Way
about not leaving home
when the rain*storms hit
here
in florida

to be excused from outside travel
can be such a blessing
sometimes

playing hooky
from other people
is heaven, too, in a way

{{ isn't available light
peeking in
through a window the Best! }}

[delila]

i wish i could hold that lace nest next to my heart...
november is truly a beautiful month, with all lovely soft shades. though, i would gladly see snowflakes upon trees.

Delila

[Tiziana]

only recently I discovered your blog. and already became a so pleasant appointment!

[lilylovekin]

Although I did not experience rain, just the opposite, but the light is faint and filtered and makes one want to be inside. I love to nest and November is a good month for it.

[sheila]

best,the branches in the rain; best, the winter nest in your palm.
xxxooo

[robin dudley howes]

Nina I don't blog hop much or read the posts for that matter but yours is an exception. You are such a natural story teller and even when I don't think I have the time I am pleasantly drawn in to your world for a few moments and happy for it. A while back you asked your blog audience what they would like to see from you if you wrote/published a non- instructional jewelry type book.....well I think your blog is a good example of what that might look like. I think it's waiting somewhere in the proverbial wings...small snippets of your art, stories of your life and how you work...I would buy it! xooxorobin (AAJ alumni)

[sandra]

all the seasons are special...there is a time for everything. all your posts reminds me this is so.

[Mary]

So very cozy.

[Jaliya]

Nina, thank you so much for your November thoughts ... You have an eye, always, for beauty ...

[Jessica W.]

"on days like this, i wake up to low-hanging clouds and the promise of rain, and find myself feeling relieved that i'll be forced to stay inside and tinker, putter, ponder the hours away."

This is why i love rainy and overcast days (not to mention the magic and mystery shrouded in the fog). Even though i spend a lot of time creating, it's days like these that give me a "free pass" to hole up in the studio for hours with a hot cup of coffee.

[Cathyc]

November, for me, is all about glimpses into the future - some good, some not so perhaps, but still there is that insight.... and yes the frost and snow is something to come - and I don't mind it so long as the sun appears now and then... best wishes, Cathy x