Introducing Cheery Hill Photography!

I am now selling prints of my photos! I recently opened up a little online shop, Cheery Hill Photography, at Fine Art America and thought I ought to post about it on my blog. (I included a tab on my blog for easy access.) Fine Art America does lovely work! So far, I’ve seen a couple of prints, the greeting cards, and a canvas in person.

I’m excited to share my photos with whoever will welcome them into their home.

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Twenty Things

In the woods on the first warm day of spring

A friend posted this challenge a couple days ago. “Quick. Twenty things you love. (Not family, friends, or Jesus. We know that.)”

Here’s my list. Feel free to add your own.

1. The first warm spring day
2. Exploring country roads
3. Meteor showers (and the night sky in general)
4. Aqua, teal, and turquoise
5. Grapefruit
6. Being in the woods
7. Playing board games w/ friends
8. Exploring small towns
9. Flannel shirts and down vests
10. Bald eagles and hawks in flight
11. Coffee and tea
12. Pine cones
13. York Peppermint Patties
14. Clever Pranks*
15. Spring wildflowers
16. Maple trees in the May wind (Helicopters!**)
17. Old books
18. Fireflies
19. Pineapple, ham, and jalapeno pizza
20. Old houses

* Clever, but not nasty or (too) embarrassing
** Whirly gigs, spinners, or whatever you call ’em

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A Walk in the Wintry Woods

I love walking in the woods any time of year, but there is just something peaceful about the woods in the winter. It could be that I usually have the woods to myself, or that the loudest noise is the crunch of the snow under my boots.

The downside to walking (and taking photos) in the winter is, of course, the cold. On the bitterest days, I don’t last long before I have to head back to the car and turn up the heat to revive numb (and sometimes blue) fingers. But it’s all worth it.

Here are some photos from recent walks in the nearby State Park:

Underneath white birches, our faces toward the sky
We will make snow angels with our white horse standing by.
~White Horse, Over the Rhine

The Magic Hour

Warm light on a cold day

Candlelit Hike

Frozen Twilight

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The Beauty of February

Here is a glimpse of some of the beauty I’ve found this month:

Winter Berries at Sunset

An out-of-focus snowflake on my sleeve

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints of light. ~Colossians 1:12

My sister-in-law makes the best pies. This one is from cherries she picked in Door County, WI last summer. Delicious!

I will learn to love the skies I’m under. ~Mumford and Sons, Hopeless Wanderer

Winter on the Prairie

Grace Abounds in the Wintry Woods

I love pine cones

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Cheery Hill Through the Cherry Tree

I took the final photo of this series yesterday and thought I ought to post it here, since this blog is named after my house.

Here is Cheery Hill as seen through my cherry tree through the seasons.

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall

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All Shall Be Well

My friend Julia Bloom, who is also one of my favorite singers and songwriters, released a new song yesterday. It was an honor to be able to collaborate with her by contributing my photography for the video. The lyrics are from Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love, and the melody and harmonies are simply beautiful.

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What’s Saving My Life (Midwinter Edition)

Winter Berries at Sunset

I’m taking a cue from Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy and Katie at Cakes, Tea and Dreams and asking the question, “What’s saving my life right now?” I love this discipline of focusing on the positive things, as little as they may seem.

This verse comes to mind:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

This one, too:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)

Here are some of the things that I am thankful for, or, that are saving my life, this winter:

• Lighting candles. I bought a couple of brass candlesticks in November and lit tapers every time I had friends over during the holidays and burned through several candles. I light them when I’m home alone, too. The glow from just two candles can fill an evening with comfort and warmth.

Candles are meant to be lit.

• Hosting family and friends. In December, I hosted a Christmas party for my small group, a Lessons and Carols service, dinner and movie nights, Christmas Eve with my parents, brother, sister-in-law, and six-year-old niece. In January, I hosted a pizza and game night, spent an afternoon watching movies with my niece, and hosted my small group. I love having people over and I love making memories in my little house.

Late night pie

• Heated foot-warming pad for my bed. This has been saving my life for many winters now. I have Raynaud’s Syndrome, which restricts circulation to my hands and feet. In the winter, it’s not uncommon for my hands and feet to turn bloodless white after being out in the cold weather, even if it’s just a five minute drive. Being able to get into a warm bed is a lifesaver. I use it six months out of the year!
• Book Discussions and Bible Studies. I joined a book group a couple months ago and tonight is our last night. We’ve been reading and discussing Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewish Words of Jesus Can Change Your Life by Lois Tverberg. It’s a fascinating book and a good one to discuss with friends around a fireplace on cold nights. The Women’s Bible Study I host is just starting The Son of David: Seeing Jesus in the Historic Books (of the Old Testament) by Nancy Guthrie.

Morning at home

• Lavender Body Butter. Minnesota winters are dry, resulting in extremely dry skin. My hands  I bought a jar of this body butter at a roadside stand on the Old Mission Peninsula while on vacation in Traverse City, Michigan two summers ago and it was well worth it. I’m sensitive to harsh chemicals and fragrances, and lotions tend to make my skin drier. This body butter is fabulous. On my desk at work, I keep a bar of hard lotion that my mom made from many of the same ingredients.
• Hot Chocolate. I love coffee and tea, both. But this winter I rediscovered my childhood love: hot chocolate. I gave Smitten Kitchen’s Decadent Hot Chocolate Mix to my coworkers last Christmas, and made some for myself as well. I have savored many marshmallow-topped mugs this winter.

Cuppa Hot Chocolate

• 5ft inf. I don’t know how or when I discovered this website and Instagram feed, but I’m sure glad I did. The cheerful and creative arrangements of flowers and objects are like Vitamin D for my soul.
• Sunsets. A couple weeks ago, I noticed that the sun set after I got off work. That is a hopeful sign indeed. The darkest days are past and spring isn’t far off. While winter is lovely, I savor the little signs of warmer and brighter days ahead.

The sun sets after 5 pm!

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It’s a Brand New Year

Well, it was a brand new year. On New Year’s Day, I joined a Writers’ Consortium with the goal of beginning to write my family history this year. Almost as an afterthought, I added that I would like to publish at least two blog posts a month. I was tempted to commit to two a week, but I decided to set the bar low. Apparently, it wasn’t low enough. I blinked, and January flew by.

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
Psalm 27:13

I’ve been enjoying the month’s snowy enchantment and dark evenings. It’s perfect for hibernating and practicing hygge. There have been countless mugs of tea and hot chocolate, game nights, books read under wool blankets by Christmas tree and candlelight, movie nights, books discussions, and snowshoeing adventures.

Hot chocolate in a Rabbit Room mug and The Molehill Volume Three make for good company on a dark, snowy night.

I have yet to put the tree away. In my defense, all of the Christmas ornaments are put away. Garland, sparkly blue snowflakes, and golden birds are all that remain on the flocked branches, so it’s more of a winter tree than a Christmas tree. It provides so much light and cheer on dark evenings, I haven’t been able to haul it back down to the basement yet. Soon, though. Its days are numbered.

I sure love the winter skies.

To any faithful readers out there, I really do hope to be a faithful blogger in 2015. Thank you for all of your encouragement and kind words. This is 29 days late, but I wish you all a wonderful and blessed year!

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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Winter

Cheery Hill Cottage in the Snow

It may not be astronomical winter, but it sure feels like it. Here in southern Minnesota, our first snow started to accumulate late last Monday night. I happened to have our first snow-covered day off. I put on some Christmas music, lit a candle, and made ginger spice cookies.

Delightfully cozy on the first snowy evening

Last week, I read this article explaining why Denmark is the happiest country on earth despite their long, dark winters. In one word: hygge. It’s a concept that’s hard to explain in English, but has to do with coziness, togetherness, and well-being. It’s defiant merriment. I like to think my Danish ancestors settled here in Minnesota because there are more opportunities to practice hygge. Maybe that’s why I’m still here, not 20 miles from where my great great grandparents settled all those years ago?

Winter Skies

I hope to practice hygge and hospitality this winter. Winter can be long, but I’m thankful for the cold weather. Without the cold, we wouldn’t have this:

I don’t think I’ll ever cease to be amazed by snowflakes. At least I hope not!

Because of the bitter cold, nights spent like this are more satisfying:

Enjoying good conversation, the hospitality of friends, and their warm fireplace!

Because it’s dark by the time I get off work, I spend more time reading. And every time I sit down to read, this dashing kitty curls up by my side:

Mr. Dashwood enjoys big cups of coffee, long books, and cuddling on cold nights.

They’re saying this may be a milder winter. I don’t want to get my hopes up, because March (and May) of 2013 is still fresh in my memory. I guess we’ll see. In the meantime I’ll say, along with Jason Gray, let the winter come.

Crossing into Winter

 

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Autumnal Splendor

This fall was brilliant. Here’s proof:

This whole field of flowers was dancing in the evening breeze.

I turned down a gravel road in the middle of Iowa and met this cow.

“I do like a road, because you can be always wondering what is at the end of it.” –The Story Girl, Lucy Maud Montgomery

The Morning Light

An evening meal for sparrows

Pilgrim at Maple Creek

“Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; And only he who sees takes off his shoes; The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.”  –E. B. Browning

I had to walk to work one week because I had two flat tires. If hadn’t walked, I would’ve missed this tree. This tree! I still can’t quite believe it, and I saw it…

Oak leaves ablaze in the evening sun

Cheery Hill through the cheery tree

I found every color of leaf this year, including rare blue leaves. This has been identified as jewelweed by my high school IB Bio teacher.

A walk in the yellow woods

October days are best spent under ruby oaks, golden maples, and sapphire skies.

These coral maple trees amazed me.

Follow the moss-covered path.

This is my Father’s world

My mom spotted these violet leaves on a walk in the state park.

These maples put on quite the show this year. I’m pretty sure they were yellow last year.

Asters in the prairie wind

A kaleidoscope

Jewelweed revisted

I love how the golden leaves are set on fire by the day’s last light.

Beauty underfoot

Sunset at the end of my street

Fading colors of late October

Ginkgo, aka Maidenhair, aka Goldilocks

Illumination on the last day of October

November woods

And now this remains.

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