Happily chugging along in my own little world yesterday, I woke up and did the usual. Made lunches, kissed the three boys off on their day, took Lola for a nice visit with a good friend. And then I tagged along on Jonah’s field trip to the NOAA building. His class is learning about space and we were going to get a lesson on the solar system. The kids were told to split into two groups and they naturally divided evenly between boys and girls, being in third grade and all.  I went with the boys up to see the Science on a Sphere session (a projected visual of the earth and her planets which pans out to see the entire galaxy, very cool for a visual learner like me). A very enthusiastic man was giddy teaching the kids about space, and then he casually mentions that there is a new theory that the moon is really a smashed up version of what was once two moons. Two moons that orbited the earth millions of years ago whose gravitational pull was thrown off causing them to crash into each other, which could explain the mountainous dark side of the moon that we know so little about.

Enter a strange light-headed sense that nothing I’ve ever known is as it seems.

The earth had two moons?  I’ve never felt so small and keenly aware that perhaps everything I do is insignificant and the only results are the illusion of an outcome.  How can we possibly, floating along comfortably in our egos, think that anything we do is actually going to matter when one slip of gravity in the universe could cause everything to catastrophically come to an end?

So our all boy group splits off and we move onto another activity, me kind of floating in a weird daze, not unlike those experienced in the throes of adolescence when one is hit with a newfound and deeply profound revelation. Then my reality hits again when Jonah suddenly runs to me and says “I’m gonna throw up, Mom!” And there is no bathroom nearby so we make a dash for the lobby door to run outside.  Hello, abrupt and unusual entrance back into my physical existence.

And just like that, my feelings of worthlessness were gone and I had a real purpose again, as we all do. I realize that this all sounds completely cliche and maybe even just a tad naive, but in my moment of delusional panic I thought about how terribly we treat our planet. Exhausting our resources, polluting our oceans, etc. That is what is really scary–the things we can control RIGHT NOW that are hurting the earth. And on a smaller scale, this purpose that I do have in life, even if it’s just a responsibility to do right by my family and treat others with love and respect, is not by any means a small and insignificant calling.  I do not always do justice to this purpose, and I make big mistakes a lot… but I feel grounded and happy. We’ve always tried to instill a respect and a love for our environment in our kids. I can only hope this love spreads wider and deeper because, sadly, it will be up to their generation to fix a bunch of really tragic mistakes.

Sorry about the bummer post. I come from a long line of conspiracy theorists and it naturally comes out in me on occasion :) And this whole experience led to a really pleasant evening filled with great discussion, despite Jonah having the dreaded stomach virus.

On a side note, recycling can be fun. I made some leg warmers from sleeves of an old sweater.

(Here’s an article in National Geographic about the two moon theory if you’re interested.)

We’ve been watching a lot of movies lately, with the darkness and the cold. One can only play so many Scrabble games… so they say.  I haven’t reached my limit yet.
Another Earth: mildly depressing, but interestingly twisted and unique.
The Debt: Helen Mirren.  She is hot.  That is all.
Cowboys and Aliens: don’t laugh… it really was good! As Brian said, why can’t aliens visit any time period they like?
The Future: quirky, but my kind of movie.  And I love the talking cat (I however will not recommend The Beaver–psychotic talking puppet!).
McCabe and Mrs. Miller: recommended by a new friend, I can’t believe I lived my whole life without seeing this movie. A soundtrack by Leonard Cohen and the dark, damp mood of the Gold Rush days. Seriously good.

Perhaps I have mentioned this before, but my favorite movie of all time is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Did you know there was a sequel? I’m a little slow when it comes to all things that cable television tells people.  I didn’t know. Turns out I didn’t miss much because Blackthorn was a huge disappointment. There is really nothing like an original (and who can hold a candle to Paul Newman or Robert Redford?).

Totally unrelated except to prove that I have also spent a good amount of time not watching movies, these pictures are from a little exploration we took in the woods on Friday. Mighty was still home “sick” (though his fever broke the night before and he was dying to go climb some trees).  This was before the deep freeze, with little wind and a warm sunny, winter glow.

I think the winter is finally messing with my body and I am just really ready for spring… and I know it’s too early to be feeling this way.  We could still have another five months of this. So… thinking about happy things!  Like this date hike Brian and I took on Gold Ridge last July, just the two of us. We had a few hours’ window in the evening so we took the Mount Robert’s Tram up to shave a few miles off the trek.  We had the best time and it was an incredibly beautiful night (night!). Oh to feel that warm sun again.

I have serious vertigo being up this high. The cliff on the right side of the photo goes straight down to the basin… Not my favorite part of the hike, but exhilarating once it’s over. 

One of the many marmots we saw (and heard). They’re talkative little fellows.

Snow in July… funny now that it seemed like such a novelty then!

Looking back toward the Juneau Ice Fields.

 I have to give Brian major props… he just had a huge career accomplishment after working incredibly hard for years. He makes a girl proud.
I knew 2012 was going to be a good year.

This moment has been with me since and I am enjoying dissecting more little memories that randomly strike.  It also has me noticing more in the present. My current experiences and the pieces that make them good or bad. It’s a fun little exploration of the senses and the ego. I like being an observer.

Lola and I went for a walk yesterday. There was very little to explore by way of smell as it was incredibly, bone-chillingly windy. The cold wind was too much and had me holding my breath for fear of the chill the air would bring to my lungs. So we both relied on our other senses to develop the adventure… and it was a beautiful day to see.

2012 is here. The holidays were really good. Really good and relaxing, mellow.  I am very much looking forward to a new journey.  I have big plans for this year, even if they are just working on seeing something pretty every day.

I’m, once again (after casting it aside in 2009 when we moved across the country), going to attempt project 365… with a bonus day for leap year. Project 366.  Some of it will be private, so if you see a day or two missing, that’s why.  Join me, if you like!  It’s never too late.

I have a million posts that I’ve started over the last few months, when I’ve been MIA here. But I’m just going to scratch them and start over.  It’s a good time for that.  Clean slates and all.

New Year’s Eve, with friends:

happy 2012, friends.

And these winter skies could only bring beauty for the ground, too. Momentarily at least.  The thing about here is that it’s winter one day and just plain old Juneau the next. Snow, rain, snow, rain. It’s a rain spell now but I’m hoping for a white Christmas.

So!  Thank you!  I truly appreciate all of your support.  And for those of you who have asked, I do plan to set up an Etsy shop.  I’m still trying to unpack the boxes of my booth and catch up on all the household chores that were neglected in my frenzy to prepare for market.  However, on my list, and soon, is to open up that shop.  Stay tuned and I’ll give you an update.

The unusual thing is, I haven’t really been taking pictures.  Mostly because I dropped the old Nikon D70 and broke the trusty 18-70mm lens.  Yep. And also because it seemed more important to just be doing something, rather than documenting the entire process (with a few exceptions here and there… I mean, I really love to take pictures).

So all this fun work has been with a goal in mind.  My amazingly talented friend, Amy, and I are going to have a joint booth at the Juneau Public Market (a three day gigantic local holiday craft fair and the reason I would never leave town over Thanksgiving) .  I’m incredibly excited (and honored) to be partnered with Amy and her gorgeous Fog and Fern Jewelry.

Here’s a little sampling of the pieces with which I’ll be setting up shop.

prints in repurposed frames

 I’m really excited about the cards.  The quality of the paper and the image is exactly how I’d hoped.

holiday greeting cards

variety of themed greeting cards and postcards

 gift tags

And more…

I wish you all could come enjoy the craftiness and ingenuity of my fellow Alaskan makers at Public Market.  It really is an inspiring and jovial event–a real kick off to the holidays.  So for all you locals, after you’ve devoured your leftover turkey and cranberry sandwich on Friday, come see me and Amy!  We will be there Friday through Sunday (11/25-27) in the Annex at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center.  Somewhere in the middle.  See you there…

Here’s some of my favorite shots.

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