A new me

On the 26 thousandth day of Christmas, my true love (the computer) failed me and I couldn't keep up with the daily features. But now we are both back and how.

I thought maybe it was too late to offer you any buying advice. However, judging from the hopping nature of our etsy store (thank you thank you, one and all!), people are still buying holiday gifts. You might ask why I am surprised. After all, I have a long list left to buy and I started in APRIL. Yes APRIL. In fact, the first Christmas gift I bought this year was also the first thing I bought on etsy and the beginning of the journey toward a Love & Squalor store that keeps me up late at night--in a great way. Here was my inaugural purchase:

It is from a series of photographs by Alicia Bock, entitled Sing a Song of Distant Shores and in about a week it will be given to my brother-in-law, who lives near and loves a very distant shore. I am not a fan of the beach, but this photograph makes me want to love the things that do not come natural to me--like open, empty, boundless spaces, like salt and light and golden skin, like fearlessness and grit and solitude.

Tonight I had every intention of writing a blog about gifts that recycle, that make new. But as soon as I saw this photograph again, I was made new. I was transported. And on the 26 millionth day of Christmas, when my list of things to do and buy just surpassed neverending, I needed the renewal. And the grit.