Attributions:
This OSJ practice is inspired by One-Sentence Journal: Short Poems and Essays from the World at Large (2018, Riverfeet Press) by Métis Storyteller & Poet Laureate of Montana, Chris La Tray
12/31/25: It’s pitch black at 6pm, 17 degrees out, and we are greeted by warm twinkly rainbow glowing lights amongst 4 – 6 feet fir trees that ride whimsically in an antique western wagon in our friend’s driveway.
12/30/25: Two moments that gave us awe struck pause: dusk’s pink, lavender, & light blue sky; night’s waxing gibbous moon creating glittering diamond snow carpet.
12/29/25: Little things make a big difference I think as I hear one of my new PT assignments for the thawing frozen shoulder: Walk with poles to work & strengthen your lats.
12/28/25: A vigorous sunny morning walk in the icy air & an unplanned late afternoon 2-hour nap make me a happy girl.
12/27/25: I am gloved and so enjoying piling the aromatic snow crusted boughs of fallen douglas fir into heaps in the fading light of day, that it’s a while before I notice my right index finger is totally numb.
12/26/25: I awake from a dream with a Mandalorian-like string of words in my head: There is only internal guidance to rely on, no one out there has my map and ‘This is the way.’
12/25/25: She strides confidently to the airport gate and wears a sleeveless cashmere sweater, long smart wide-legged wool trousers, and hold it now, a raspberry beret.
12/24/25: The big bellied grey and white speckled mule dropped to his knees, rubbed his chin in the snow, and rolled over onto his back wriggling his mane and huge body in the snow with the very same excitement as beloved Sweet Boy does.
12/23/25: I took a step to starting on something simple I have been wanting to do for 2 years and this felt very satisfying, so much so that I know I will complete it this week. (And I did! here.)
12/22/25: I wonder how many of us are figuratively in life, driving with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake.
12/21/25: A little sad I had not realized today was Solstice until we were outside tonight when Sweet Boy did his moonlit “snow roll” and M reminded me; but hey, it’s not too late.
12/20/25: Simple pleasure of running back to back errands together and marveling at synchronistic chance run-ins with friends;
12/19/25: The wind took down more trees today and we ran again on quiet backup power for hours.
12/18/25: A co-worker to me: Funny how you are in high tech and working unphased with field conditions, no electricity.
12/17/15: Frazzled nerves felt like a flashback to hurricanes in the south, a record breaking windstorm with a green giant smashing into part of our place; it’s worse than we thought, but all in all not that bad.
12/16/25: I am into the rhythms out here, the walking, hauling up wood in a sled, even the drives for the green box drops twice a week.
12/15/25: Woke up with the Oasis line, Don’t look back in anger, I heard you say, and wondered about the root cause of my often clenched right jaw.
12/14/25: I appreciate that she just does not care; I am seated at a gate in the Salt Lake City airport, and the granola backpacking girl who could be my friend & who’d been sleeping on the floor exits the bathroom brushing her teeth.
12/13/25: After the wild dogs and goat situation, I got a little trigger happy.
12/12/25: Chicken n dumplin’s, fried okra, collards, and other southern Cracker Barrel favorites for Mom’s birthday dinner (unannounced) with a sweet lifelong family friend.
12/11/25: Foley Public Library, Post Office, Gypsy Java Cafe lunch and a conversation with her master gardener and sculptor friend, Carl Floyd, a visit with D on the front porch, a walk, a chance encounter with a high school friend…Mom and I covered a lot of Alabama ground today.
12/10/25: As mom tells me she has been hearing hoot owls again, I watch the northside of the pasture where my brother and I used to play, as 2 hawks with impressive wingspans circle in the sunshine and eventually land in the massive oak whose limbs are clothed in resurrection ferns.
12/9/25: Exhausted from travel, I felt a little refreshed seeing Orion over the silhouette of pines slick black glass water of Soldier’s Creek.
12/8/25: A swimmer lady who works in my favorite local bookstore: Lanessa! I just figured out who you were, sorry, I am not used to seeing you with clothes on…. you know, outside of the pool.
12/7/25: We all laugh at the 20-foot Grinch dancing in the breeze on the deck at the Mount Krumpet annual swim potluck.
12/6/25: It was snowing a little and I could not make out what the posterboard said, but still I did a U-turn and was glad; I went back for some hot cocoa in the parking lot where 5 little kids were raising money for backpacks for kids, to fill backpacks with food for kids who don’t have much at home.
12/5/25: Today’s journaled prayer: May I hold steady peace throughout this day with grace and equanimity.
12/4/25: No need for a headlamp as everything was illuminated in snowglow under the full moon.
12/3/25: Downside of a 1 room living space may be an upside when you try and work too much with clickety clack on the keyboard and your spouse calls across the dark room from the bed, “okay sweetie,” so you close the laptop and attempt to lay down in bed and settle your monkey mind.
12/2/25: I am grateful to hear of such a scene as my friend EP shares: Yeah, Dr. B saw a herd of a hundred elk crossing highway 93 on his way into town not long ago.
12/1/25: I saw 5 giddy horses running around with “crazy legs” in the snowy pasture on my way home north.
sheteststhewater 