Dear Friend,
How are you doing today? Have you been traveling to visit friends and family? Maybe you’ve stayed home and are planning to have a quiet evening, or you’re busy preparing for company and they’ll be there any minute! However you spend your time today, I hope that it brings you happiness.
It is the time of year when colorful decorations ring-in a sense of warmth, good cheer, thankfulness, and our desire to share with others. I think that how a person chooses to decorate (or not) is as individual as a fingerprint.
Let’s say that you did decide to decorate this year. Do you have a Christmas tree? And did you hang ornaments? Tell me about those ornaments, are they all different? Maybe they are identical? Either way, each individual ornament has a story to tell. Where it came from, who made it, whether it’s part of a collection, who broke it… some Christmas trees have just a few, and some are absolutely covered with ornaments.
When we’re not on the road, I decorate my office with family photos and handmade Christmas ornaments. They are special because they were gifts from people I love. (I miss them this year, both the people and the ornaments).
How about you? Do you keep some of your decorations up all year-round because they remind you of people or situations that make you smile?
Decorations are vibe makers, atmosphere setters, they help you to tell your story, sometimes just for that day and sometimes permanently.What do you decorate? How about yourself? Are you a big jewelry wearer? Do you have just one special pair of earrings or a necklace that you wear all the time? How about hats? Makeup? Tattoos? Well, do you wear clothes? Maybe your dog does?
Remember letter/blog no.36 'Sculptures' from September? We were in Castlegar, BC and shared some photos of the Sculpture Walk 2023. Residents and visitors are encouraged to place a vote for their favorite sculpture. (Though we signed in to do so, we were too late to get a ballot that day, so we didn’t vote).
Well, earlier today, I received an email from the Castlegar Sculpture Walk Team announcing the 2023 winners! According to the Sculpture Walk Team, “This democratic ballot-to-purchase process by the residents of the community has a direct impact on the acquisition of public art in their city. With their voice and their vote, the community has both figurative and literal ownership of the art and the residents’ pride in helping to form their unique and vibrant city is unmistakable.”
As a visitor, it was clear that the atmosphere and vibe of their town matters to the people of Castlegar. I hope that you will visit there if you’re ever in British Colombia.
So, again this year, the city will purchase the ‘Peoples' Choice’ winner and it will become a permanent decoration in the Community Collection. Here are photos that Frank took of what would become The Winners: Peoples’ Choice
1st place Peoples' Choice: Rufous by Nathan and Sabian Smith of Nelson BC
2nd place: Crude Accommodations: by Kate Ford of Salt Spring Island, BC
3rd place: Lost Adrift by Karl Mattson of Rolla, BC
The Artistic Merit Winners is judged using a criterion based on artistic merit by a jury of peers. I thought I’d include these winners in case you were interested. Well, look who won the Artistic Merit!
1st place: Crude Accommodations: by Kate Ford of Salt Spring Island, BC
2nd place: Modern Man Does Research by Ronald Simmer of Burnaby BC
I’m glad that the hermit crab was a winner! All of the sculptures were so well done, it must have been a difficult decision. Did your favorite sculptures win?
Well, today’s Poem Form is called “X – 15” wherein self-contained stanza(s) of exactly 15 syllables each may be in one line or more, and stanzas may be related to each other or not. My ‘X-15’ Poem:
Ornaments
Perhaps I shouldn’t even ask, what brings you to this meadow?
Is it to see the strangely mixed up pine? Poor grafted fellow.
Are you here to watch the stars come out, and see what happens then?
After the first storm has cleared - about this time of year is when.
A snowflake blanket hugs the hillside and coats the meadow ground.
The lonely pine tree makes a wish, then he steadies all his boughs.
The dear little forest children call the moon and stars to meet.
They pretend that they are ornaments and decorate the tree!
We are SO grateful for your caring thoughts and prayers and that you are here, reading Tracks by the Post.
If you have a moment in your busy week, contact us and let us know how things are going in your world.
Gently Be,
Leslie and Frank
Yorumlar