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Anne Brock's avatar

Just pausing to notice my dogs’ eyelashes or teeth. Listening to the birds. Dreaming about flowerbeds. Covering the little peony starts to protect them from frost. Slowly working on a new quilt, touching each piece of fabric. Beauty is everywhere.

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Kathryn Coneway's avatar

What a beautiful journey through your noticings of beauty - I felt like I was witnessing each of these with you - thank you!

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Christianne Squires's avatar

Gorgeous photos, Kathryn! And I love the story of the teacher who asked that question about noticing beauty every day.

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Kathryn Coneway's avatar

Thank you, yes, I loved the question and the way she described how the answers deepend throughout week. It feels like a good reminder of the small things we can notice that help shift how we move through the day.

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Anne Brock's avatar

I loved that question too!

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Becca Rowan's avatar

Thank you for this thoughtful reflection, Kathryn. You know you are speaking my language! I’ve been thinking and writing about ordering our days with attention and beauty.

I order my days around quiet time early in the morning spent with poetry and prayers over a lighted candle; reading and writing; daily walks with my dog; paying attention to what’s growing in the neighborhood; visiting with neighbors. It’s a gentle way to begin the day and grounds me in what truly feeds my soul.

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Kathryn Coneway's avatar

Thank you Becca, I love how you offer specific practices for ordering your day around attention and beauty. I feel such a sense of grounding, presence, and gentleness as I read your writing.

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Becca Rowan's avatar

Thank you 🙏

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Paul Cummins's avatar

I usually fix, install or tend to outdoor work every day. The problem I figured out today was using old window weights to roll extremely heavy ancient railroad ties into place along our 1850s house. Useful work is a kind of creation, I think. I still do my home inspection work so I'm still teaching too!

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Kathryn Coneway's avatar

My friend reminded me just last week of the connection between the words reverence and repair. I've been doing repairs around the house lately and appreciated the chance to reflect on this connection. Repair seems to be part of care and tending. I definitely think useful work is creative, fixing, installing, and tending require creativity at many different steps along the way.

I particularly love the improvisation in your story of your most recent problem solving with window weights and railroad ties. I imagine an 1850s house offers many opportunities for creative tending.

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Kathy Swaar's avatar

I love this post so much, Kathryn. I've been struggling to find words and get them on the page. Your observations speak deeply to my soul, and give me solid ground on which to stand. They also remind me, yet again, that Creativity has been companioning me through these days in other ways that writing. Thank you.

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Kathryn Coneway's avatar

Thanks, Kathy, always happy to share the creative journey with you and your creativity.

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Delena Beth Knight's avatar

Refrigerator art by my 3 grands continues to warm my heart and bring me back to what matters in my core. One especially is a drawing by my sweet grandson who was humming outloud to the song of the “Bear went over the mountain” (which I have sung to all 3 at naptime) and his coloring art that unfolded of a round bear going up over a mountain. The other are beautiful modern flowers my granddaughter drew and she creatively & uniquely named each one. ✨🌷✨

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Kathryn Coneway's avatar

I love hearing how viewing this art each day is a touchpoint for you. Your appreciation for each grandchild's creations is beautiful. The connection between the song and the drawing that emerged with the bear is a lovely example of creative connections, thank you.

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