#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

Sunrise over the field

“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”
― Philip Pullman

Despite my blister, there’s always a blister after first skiing, I squeeze my feet back into the boots and go out into the morning. Over the meadow are thick layers of feathery clouds. I have a busy day ahead, and so this time in the woods is wonderful. Perhaps a last ski for awhile, as the trail where all the hikers and snowshoers and animals and skiers is turning to ice. This is a day of preparing for our Farm Pond Writer’s Collective open readings; putting together the line-up of readers and the slideshow of photos to go with the poetry and prose the writers will present. And we feed our guests; all of us bring food. I spend the afternoon in the kitchen, baking molasses cookies from the refrigerated dough; making a vegetarian minestrone soup, and two pans of spinach and black bean and corn enchiladas. In our host’s living room, the fire is set. We have a full house, guests circle up, on couches on floors in the candlelight with heaping plates of food. It’s an emotional night of intimacy, shared stories, deep conversation. Our fifth holiday open readings. Yes, I think it’s my favorite gathering of the year. The writing is powerful, the risk taking is gorgeous. Spouses, parents, friends listen in awe. Laughter and tears. Fiction, poetry, memoir. Every writer speaks her truth, shares her beauty. The candlelight flickers. We are gathered round the fire, listening to each other say what matters, say who matters, and what matters and why. We are so happy to be together like this.

Clouds above the meadow