Snow White Morning

As far as the eye can see everything is white. Viewing the snow this morning, I am reminded of John Steinbeck's, The Pearl:

"It was a morning like other mornings and yet perfect among mornings"

Go White…

…and drink warm.

…to ponder the possibilities.

...because you can.

…for good measure.

…to keep moving.

…because it’s hot.

…to feel good about your neck.

Credits: Main Image: Juliet Harrison Photography, White Tea Harney and Sons, Porcelain Skateboard via Dudecraft, Flask via Swissmiss, Ballet Dancer via PVE Design, Pearl Pin via Swissmiss, Glass Tea Pots via Life.Style, Knitted Cowl Jared Flood via Juniper Fiberworks

DIY Eco-Gifts For The Nature Lover on Your Holiday List

Do you know someone who needs to connect intimately with nature every day? Besides enjoying a healthy dose of the outdoors, what more could a nature lover need? While they are enjoying all of nature's beauty, they need to stay safe. Here are DIY gifts to keep your nature lover safe on the trail:

1. Create a walking map of the hikers destination with Google Earth and add a DIY compass to stay the course.

2. Knit a pair of hiking socks and fingerless gloves.

3. Put all your belongings in a DIY backpack. Here are instructions for making a cardboard backpack. It calls for a piece of folded cardboard, a few strips of wood, and a fabric strap.

4. Create a first-aid kit.

5. Everyone has their limitations, and it's good to have something to keep steady while walking. A good walking stick (or staff) can fend off an unstable disaster or maybe an unwanted critter. Did you know walking sticks have been proven to take a great deal of pressure off of the knees? Here's a tutorial to make one.

First Snow Graffiti

This installation, check by Thomas Voorn via Design Milk portrays all that I love about winter (which is almost everything except shoveling).

This image danced across my computer screen as the flakes began to fall.

Dust of Snow ~ Robert Frost

The way a crow Shook down on me The dust of snow From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart A change of mood And saved some part Of a day I had rued

Stalking The Woodpile

As the heating season warms up, I'm paying homage to my heating source - wood. Do you heat your home with wood? One hundred percent of my home is heated by wood. The heart of my house is a hot-pumping workhorse - the humble woodstove. It's been cranking out heat for years. We have three woodstoves – one for the main house, one in a detached studio and one that we fire up for our wood-heated hot tub. On the right is a picture of my son sizing the wood for our stoves last spring.

I have a fair amount of yin/yangy feelings about the environmental impact of heating with wood. I discuss my quandary, and present the cost-saving pros, as well as the ecological cons of heating with wood here.

Having just taken the wood carrier and fireproof gloves out of hiding for their first spin of the season, I headed outside last evening and admired my woodpile. Seasoned, cut and stacked, I could have sworn that luscious pile of wood winked at me.

Take a look at these images and please tell me: Can a woodpile be sexy?

Photo Credits: Gemma Comas via Sweet Paul, Swiss Miss, unknown , Design Milk, Freshome, unknown, Casa Cara, A View To, House & Home, Freshome