The thing with feathers

I had lofty, Dickinsonian intentions back when I took this photo — the name on the grave marker behind this bird is Hope. You'll just have to take my word for it though since I couldn't get the focus to work out.

I love the inherent hopefulness of the turning of the new year, the fact of a built-in fresh start every twelve months and the communal celebration thereof. I'm still putting together my thoughts on what I want to accomplish and try and read and make and cook and address and play with in 2009, but will likely post it tomorrow as part of my annual set-the-tone-of-the-year-through-what-you-do-on-January-1 endeavor. (Or "start as you mean to go," which is a much more graceful phrasing of the same idea.)

Have a happy, hopeful New Year's — I'll see you in '09!