I stood transfixed watching the sunrise through the clouds. The golden light penetrate in anticipation of the beauty I hoped would come.

It felt forever the few seconds of anticipation and wonder with a sliver of doubt - would it actually come, and, of course patience rewarded.

A glow and warmth to fill body and soul. The frost layered over the ground didn’t matter because here she is to grace us with warmth energy and the glory that only she brings. Sunshine!

An executive I’m working with has hired someone new on to his team. He’s hopeful having vetted many candidates for the role. It’s week 6 and there’s been some amazing things and a few small things that can seemingly be easily addressed with a direct, curious and empathetic conversation. And yet, there’s always the worry, is what he sees as small seen in the same way by them? easily addressed or the thin edge of a bigger issue.

I coach him in the skills of an effective conversation and we talk about his intuition in the process of hiring and for any decision. How does he know, really know when it’s a definitive yes, no or ‘meh’? Intuition is a powerful tool to be curious about in addition to the skills of crucial conversations. Honing our way of knowing is useful in the challenging task of managing people to their full potential.

As I watch the sun crest through the break in the clouds and bring all its warmth colour and beauty to our surroundings, I wonder how we all can have that same effect on those around us. The Sun brings me energy and peace - it makes what want to have - a glorious day, and to do all we can to do so.

Where is your source of inspiration for today? How might you honour it?

Both Max-dog and I stopped in our tracks to watch Red Robin stare us down and then fly away carrying the energy of being seen.

Red Robin is significant, the first sign of Spring and now the sign of Winter to come.

We are unsure about this winter to come. How can we be sure in this climate. That is the point in some circles, and yet, we can be sure of one foot in front of another on our path, of the touch of a loved one, of our hands in the dirt and the wind across our face. There is certainty in that

See me! I am significant.

What is calling you to see or be seen?

This is not Red Robin but rather a rare blue bird we spotted in 2021; worthy of being seen

> “the colors diametrically opposed to each other . . . are those which reciprocally evoke each other in the eye.” Purple and yellow are a reciprocal pair. Goethe

Relationships start in attraction, deepen through experiences which build trust and shared vision. Reciprocity is an important ingredient along the path.

> Where is or is not the reciprocity in your life?

And I looked back. We passed her, max-dog chasing a scent and me lost in thought. It wasn’t until we were almost at the pond that I heard her call back to us. I am here, don’t forget about me and my gifts.

Autumn Olive, berry laden bush we discovered last year. Origin is Russian and the whispy bush produces silver maroon coloured berries. We’ve made Vinigar, jam and jelly from its berries.

Each morning I’ve been asking if I may have a few and enjoying the gift she offers.

Who is calling back to you?

A single leaf dropped ever so slowly from a juvenile poplar on our way around the south end of the pond. Max-dog not minding it at all, I watched it’s slowly fall from the branch and waft down to the ground. Signs of Fall are all around. We can ignore them if we wish but they are here none the less. Nature doesn’t pay attention to the western calendar date, she is in her rhythm and we with her like it or not.

Some folks love fall, others not so much and some project their worry for what’s to come. But the leaf again offers the invitation of what is.

The cattails in the pond are showing their signs of the season transition - the tips are yellowing and the stalks thinning out. The cat tail itself still intact.

We finish rounding out the path at the pond to open up to the fields filled with wild golden rod in their glorious yellow. Mature and young calling out to the season.

We are here, one step at a time enjoying this misty morning appreciating the rain and the harvest of what’s ahead.

What is calling you into transition?

We watched a downy woodpecker float across the sky and land in the maple beside us. A dipping floating motion, having to flap every so often to continue its glide across the sky. Once settled it begun breakfast - tapping the tree for food.

Emmett the cat arrived shortly after from his favourite sleeping space - still a secret of the exact location - to come say hello to where Max and I were watching the sunrise at the deck of the yurt on this quiet morning.

contemplation reflection and an ease into the day is the invitation.

The straw flowers having not yet opened but the sunflowers planted throughout the garden smiling their bright yellow and orange rings this way and that

Reflect - reflect on the day, your life the moment and thank you for having the space and practice to do so.

What is calling you into quiet contemplation?

The water sparkled in the sunlight in between the cattail reeds in the most magical and inviting way with a strange quality of repelling any desire to come closer.

This morning I saw the sparkles

Another morning I saw the dark brackish uninviting water upon which the sun sparkles.

Max-dog sees a playground of water weeds and discovery.The same scene many perspectives

How do we discover what we each see?

We spotted the crow sitting at the tip of the top most dead branch of the old maples at the curve in the trail, just before the pond. What does Crow see? The view from up there must be pretty compelling - from that vantage point, the pond, forest maybe even the old apple orchard, nearby grazing field, of course the garden house and pathway - maybe as far as the road? It’s the tallest spot around and perched on the tip of the tallest tree must offer an amazing feeling of security - from here any threat comes with ample warning, it must feel like the confidence of kings to be perched at this spot on this clear day.

A co-founder thinks fundamentally differently on most people-related matters than the rest of his executive team. It’s a curious thing to see from his viewpoint, what is the vista he imagines? His recent question at a leadership meeting - why would People Operations measure success through QoQ retention when they can’t influence it at all. Only the manager’s can do that?! Well, the HR leader offers, we can create conditions that employees value to support their retention eg flexible vacation, training, career succession, etc. The HR manager sees something different than the co-founder. She sees that she is empowered to explore enact investigate what does in fact create the conditions under which people continue to choose this company and co-create a culture. Who is right or who is wrong? There is no right or wrong - simply an exploration of understanding and then a choice of influence either given or received. Does the co-founder believe her? Does she believe the co-founder? Is there another metric more worthy of paying attention to that has to be discovered? could be - could be all of that none of that some of that. This is the value of the discussion.

As we continue down the path, Max-dog stops to bark at crow. Crow having none of that flys off to another perch with less interference. We rest on the shore of the pond and observe the vantage point from the ground up. All of the weeds proximate and offering details not usually seen, the tiny flowers making up queen’s anne lace, butter cups and the wisps of grass now burnt from the drought that’s been this season. It’s all a wonder. No right, no wrong just a choice in perspective from which we can choose to act from.

We sit for a while longer watching the sun set and the stars come in to view. Can’t stay too much longer before the mosquitoes come to chase us away.

What perspective serves you best right now?

She grew seemingly out of nowhere but here just beside the path a single primrose and a single flower. She will come back now year after year and become plenty as that is what they do, primrose. Why this spot and how she got here we don’t know but here she is none the less. A surprise gift of beauty and grace in amongst the gravel hillside of the northern slope at the pond.

It was her bright yellow flower that caught our attention glowing in the morning sun. Reminding us beauty is everywhere if we are aware enough to notice

What is calling your attention wherein beauty can be invited?

Observing its ancient dance with the wild grapes climbing about its branches

Watching the elegance of its wisdom in symbiotic exchange with its environment

We strive to be in synbiotic exchange - a new leader to an already growing organization is worried about his relationship with one of the other executives critical to his success. He thought they had gotten off to a good start, and then what seems like territoalism showed up. You’re doing what? You’re going to take over how? These were the questions rattling around their 2nd meeting together. Oh Oh - he said, sharing with me he’s never been stressed about a working relationship like this until now. How do we regain the shared vision and align around how we’ll work together, how we see things, etc.

Recently I discovered the power of starting a conversation by asking - what do we each understand. What do we each understand about the situation opens up understanding empathy and the possibility of co-creating a shared vision.

Does the grape vine ask the tree if she can grow upon her branches? In a way I suspect she does and they form a willing dance of co-creation. What they each give each other I am not certain but they offer and receive and Max-dog and I are the receivers of beauty awe and shade from the sun.

> Where are you seeking to share an understanding?

All we need is to know there’s a patch of blue in amongst all the clouds.

It doesn’t have to be big, it just has to be there. Then we can imagine.

A patch of blue

Where is your imagination taking you?

The breeze after a rain is remarkable. An invitation to refresh and let go. To take in its cool embrace. Any worries thoughts or musings are immediately replaced with the here and now. Rustling leaves. Ripples across the water. And feeling the ground beneath our feet.

Thank you breeze for the reminder to let go and refresh

What is calling you to let go?

The clouds move across the sky offering an early warning of the speed and direction of the wind. The air moving through the yurt suggests the temperature, are moving back to seasonably cooler temperatures?

Early warning signs are important on the farm and in life. We’re paying attention to the wind as a key factor, it’s a simple sign of what’s coming

A scale-up leadership team, is trying to determine what their early warning signs are for operational excellence. Is it who yells or complains the loudest? Is it their CTO who has typically been the arbiter of product direction? The leader of business development who beats a drum of customer success? Or chief people officer who talks about the symptoms across teams in the form of bubble up complaints. What signs do they listen to?

The truth is, all of them, it’s how they collaborate to interpret and solve that’s critical to their success. Are each of the signals interpreted through soft or hard metrics they can map to trend line that informs the health of their business. Do they live the values, call them out in behaviour they see in the context of problem-solving? It’s each day that matters. Each day we pay attention and map back what we see into our operational structure for success, how our business functions, the vision we hold and the way we enliven our values in day-to-day interactions.

On the farm the wind translates to what is possible to accomplish in a given day. The vision holds the direction but the wind offers the choice of the moment. Today won’t be any big or small construction, the hoop tunnels we plan to cover the lettuce will be built on another day. Today planting onions and flowers will work just fine.

What are the signs telling you?

All we have to do is lean against the wall to know it is but an illusion and instead pliable whispy branches on malleable stocks that mimic Christmas trees with their red ball-shaped seeds - hardly impenetrable at all.

People can be like an impenetrable wall. Hard to understand, to relate to, to create connection with. But all we have to do is remember to lean in, and then we’re back in the plush fluffy whips of the protected asparagus gone to seed. no threat here and lots of room for connection.

Where’s your invitation to lean in?

Nasturtiums have self seeded throughout the greenhouse. Growing between rows, at the edges and in between - they add colour and nutrition.

Along the western wall a group has formed pushed up against the plastic, and along side the dill and tomatoes. Beautiful spots of orange, yellow and red pop out from among the striated green leaves.

Even with the feeling of being pushed up against it, the plant offers beauty and food. It can’t help itself.

What can’t you help yourself to express?

They are at the end of their run having given us great joy and Max dog too. This has been our morning routine, to come by pick some peas for breakfast and then head out on our walk about the pond.

Harvesting the last of the peas, to ensure we’d got them all so as to pull the plant and dry a few leftover for seed. We’d have to go back over each row to pick what was missed. There was always something missed.

Becoming consciously incompetence is like that. Realizing we aren’t good at something we thought we were or starting at the beginning of mastering a new skill. We have to go back over the same ground again and again finding what was missed. What else is here to learn to experience to know in order to gain the abundance of a new way.

It can be frustrating to have to keep coming back only to find more, more to master more to learn.

Didn’t we get all those peas?! Nope - always a few hiding within a branch or under some leaves and the gift they can become when we miss them - seeding a new future of learning and growth.

> What tread do you need to revisit? What do you notice that’s there for you?

It stands almost 6 feet tall just outside of the greenhouse. The flower a thorny cone structure with a band of delicate lavender pink minitature of miniature flower petals in a band around the middle. What is this incredible beauty?! Made perfect for a certain type of pollen collecting insect. Without thought this dance of sustenance takes place.

Where is the ‘without thought’ element of symbiosis at work? It is the alignment to mission and functional expression in projects. The dance manifests between people and teams - and therein the complicating factor we wish were made simple. How we align to our shared purpose - our mission - how we communicate in the dance. Does the bee ask the flowers - do you trust me to not take too much and give back by way of pollinating you? No, it is, they offer each other and receive fully by divine design.

In teams if we’re good we ask - how will we build and sustain trust? We act from the belief that our intentions are good and a way of inquiring when we are surprised. We communicate by asking, sharing, listening consistently. We must actively design.

What is calling for deliberate design in your life?

When we look into the heart of a flower, we see clouds, sunshine, minerals, time, the earth, and everything else in the cosmos in it. Without clouds, there could be no rain, and there would be no flower. Without time, the flower could not bloom. In fact, the flower is made entirely of non-flower elements; it has no independent individual existence. It ‘inter-is’ with everything else in the universe. Thich Nhat Hahn

It was a bold move. Coyote left a large poop on the main trail - right in the middle. That’s serious.

The tracks around the pond revealed the size of the pack at least 3 or 4, likely two femails, unsure the rest.

What is the threat?

Our focus and response.

Last week was full of triggers for the Executive new to their team, A deep fear-based emotional response overriding healthy perspectives and clarity of focus. Recognizing the situation, they called in support. A coaching conversation to explore what’s real and strategize the response and learnings about themselves, the other leaders and the team dynamic.

Coyote wants Max-dog to join the pack or be eaten. He is an asset either way.

We both project the deception of territory. When we let that go we can focus on the clear next steps and whats most important.

Tomorrow we’ll move our camper to the back pond to be sure to stake our claim. They have the forest and our old apple orchard - plenty of room for both of us. No need to be in our garden. Thank you Coyote, we will be careful with Max-dog for the next while and be more mindful in our shared space at the pond.

What’s your focus and response?

These were the words calling Max and I on our walks today.

We rounded the pond and Max-dog stopped to sniff out some Coyote tracks and I stopped to admire a twin birch calling out to be seen. how was it that it grew as twins? Majestic grounded and beautiful, leaves fluttering in the wind.

The clouds were a mix of cumulus and long strands - strange combinations - what do we see? What does it mean?

A CEO I’m working with was invited to his People team’s offsite to participate and offer context and perspective. They wanted to know how he saw the business over the next few years, discuss what partnership and collaboration looked like to them and how they defined culture. They’d been using words like “people centric” customer first” and “performance” Were these mutually exclusive? Could they be “Yes, and” definitions?

The team thought so and so they dove into a conversation about the ‘and’ - what would success look like in an and world? What would it look like in an ‘only’ world?

At the end of the conversation they saw more than they came in with but the CEOs feedback the next day was a critique to the leader - how come the team didn’t see what he saw going in?

Max-dog saw the Coyote before I did. I heard his call before I saw her. She was luring him into the forest with the classic sheepish, injured type stance - as though she was the weaker. Max-dog gave chase. When he’s in a ‘prey’ mode he stops listening. I was running towards them, yelling for Max in my ‘deepest’ voice to come back, back down, ‘NO!’ - none of that worked. I chased them into the forest and managed to grab Max’s leash. She looked at me and I looked at her - No! Not us, Not max and never again. We stared each other down as I back down the slope with Max in hand.

I wonder what she saw?

> What do you see? Look again - what do you see?!

The grass is spent. It moves with the wind. and causes the field to dance.

It has shape shifted over the spring to summer. Straight up bright green grass, and now bent over golden straw. The seeds have turned bronze. They are heavy at the top and bend over closer to the ground. This is their lifecycle.

It’s beautiful to witness

To experience the birth growth, flourishing and transformation is a humbling experience.

What lifecycle is before you, worthy of your witness?

Daisies on the other hand are everywhere. We look carefully at the Sea Buckthorn to see what stage it’s at - far less berries this year it seems - and the Autumn Olive, abundant.

Each year is different - we don’t count on abundance, instead we appreciate the joy and impermanence of what is.

We planted English and snap peas and they are flourishing. We indulge daily while we can. Same with the currants. Eating them raw, in salads, in every dish we can imagine - grateful each day we get to enjoy

Where can you relish in the joy of now?

A scale up client is going through some classic growing pains. Having established product market fit, they are now feeling the gangly teenage years of growth - parts of the company further ahead than others - not enough synergy across the whole.

Engineering has been built up and is humming along with strong seasoned leaders and more on the way. Business development and marketing have created traction, now they live the problem of too much demand and a gap in operational support for customer success and on boarding.

When I think back to my experience at growing successful scale-ups many excellent decisions that formed the foundation of the organization were grounded in the ethos “we take care of our people, they take care of our customers, who intern take care of our business“. An example of this philosophy was an early investment in customer success (CS), hiring the first two CS leaders within the first 20 employees. Those that invested in this way evolved into $B powerhouse companies led by the same leaders who we first hired.

Those leaders stayed because the company invested in their growth and offered a valuable career arch. As well as, keeping their mission and customer in mind all through the journey of growth and consistently thinking of what would serve them best.

We’ve been in a deep freeze and so everything is covered in an intricate pattern of ice crystals. Anything not yet receiving the light stays frozen still in a pool of blue hues.

I crouch down to shift my perspective and observe from the ground up how the light changes each plant and tree. The top most branches still covered, a stark white in contrast to the orange yellow of the Sun’s early rays

I welcome the thought about a full day of warming sunshine might do to each of us, basking in its warmth. The trees basking in the light secure their energy through the branches and gather it in to create even stronger trunk and roots

How are you investing in the roots of your life?

What are you doing to offer nourishment for the soil around you?

Max-dog has had a rough couple of days. He has epilepsy. We never knew a dog could have that - but here we are. No need for tears - he has a very happy life and is incredibly resilient in his recovery. And, the last few days have been unusually rough. The doctors all expected he would have passed by now.

Walking the path was important today and brought us comfort, stability and joy. To sniff who was here, swim to be refreshed and roam just ‘cause.

We all need to walk the path when things are great and when they're not, maybe especially when they’re not.

The path is our 'ritual' our daily ceremony in celebration of life, connection and possibility. ‘Connection' is what we do with Max-dog on the path - we both feel better after no matter what. We celebrate life in each step by observing what's here, what's new and the beauty that we are grateful to be surrounded by. And each time - we are awakened to possibility whether it is a bumblebee demonstrating awe, tenacity and the impossible by stuffing itself into the tiniest flowers for nectar or the simplicity of a bullfrog calling out from the pond and many other wondrous expressions of life.

> What is your walk on the path?

The sunrise told us about time.

Be here now. Watch the light shimmer in through the trees. Take each foot step one by one.

Time is slow fast and infinite. That is what the sunrise offered this morning

> How do you want to approach time?

Several bushes of wild pink peas that come back each year where the old homestead used to be. They’re a pleasure to look at and a reminder of history and presence. A fuscia pink colour contrasting against the dried grasses that surround them.

It’s a wonder to behold the gift of rebirth. We hope each year but one never knows.

The lavender bush isn’t as happy and is barely showing any flowers and the large linden trees are a mix - some bear the signs of flowers to come and others offer just their leaves this year.

It’s a drought right now, many have warned us of the extremes to come. We’ve prepared as best we can.

Paying attention to what’s here now and the signs that came before have set us up as best as possible. We are grateful for the beauty on offer in the form of the pink peas.

> What’s the warning sign for you right now

I felt the breeze and instantly knew I would remember this feeling forever.

What is your gentle forever kiss?

The web very successful from the debris within, was nestled in the branch like a cupped hand, waiting to capture whatever walked across the palm. Beauty within danger captured in one space.

Is this life? Beauty and danger?

Of course, there is truth to that. Our own nature can create a dangerous trap, something we don’t know yet see or understand. Perhaps a behaviour that repeats and no longer serves us.

The sunlight offers the seeing of it. Light is that way, showing us something new in its bright white light.

> What trap do you now see in the light?

There is one dead tree, in amongst the living. it seemingly has no purpose, yet the birds use it for landing, a perch to view the fields. And, no doubt the bugs are enjoying its bark and pith. The woodpecker’s have not found it yet.

Standing singular in amongst the rest.

Beauty is everywhere, it’s our perspective that shifts from death to life, horrid to appreciated.

I wonder what is needed to create that shift? Stillness, openness, maybe faith?

What do you need to shift your perspective?

Every morning and evening we are out watering. Taking care of the seedlings and plants, ensuring everything is getting the nourishment it needs.

Today there was a promise of rain, first it was promised in mid afternoon and then it was promised later in the evening. The clouds were large and dark grey, appearing to hold that promise of rain but nothing came to be.

A start up I’m working with - as many others have done in the current market conditions - has insured it has 30 months of financial runway by restructuring, reducing headcount in areas that were not critical to the core focus of the business. As well as ruthlessly prioritizing what felt to be the most promising of product offering, customer acquisition, customer success and revenue streams.

Holding on for the promise of something is always precarious, so many conditions outside of our control influence that promise. And so it’s best to prepare for the possibility it doesn’t work out, and if it comes, great, things will be extra nurtured, and if it doesn’t, we’ve done all we can to protect our food safety and security.

What are you holding onto as a promise?

The wisdom of past experiences to offer us what might come. And the energy and curiosity of an open mind.

Even the physicality of it, our incredible healing powers of our body’s internal systems and the intuitive knowing in muscle memory in fluid movement.

Staring at the salsify flower one branch the flower, and the other the seed. Within the same stock expressing what will become and what it is.

> What is for you? What do you hope will become?

The CTO of a scale-up I’m working with has a different perspective of how to build trust, in his mind you “earn your stripes”. The COO believes in hiring smart people and offering them trust to execute. In her mind, failure is only the opportunity for shared learning. Fundamentally different perspectives on the same path to success. How did they find the congruence?

Of course, it comes down to dialogue - sharing transparently how they will each build trust through collaboration both with each other and the other members of the team. What seems obvious but is not. It’s a hard thing to do as simple as it sounds, because there are so many assumptions about what collaboration, trust, feedback, and success is. They must be open and willing to go slow to go fast by sharing those assumptions and making explicit the implicit. That way, when one of them stops on the path, the other doesn’t get frustrated.

How will you make the implicit, explicit?

A lone firefly blinked in dusk - I’m over here, I’m over here, don’t forget about me.

How easily we can forget about these magical creatures

Can we just as easily forget our own magic? Our own power? And what is our ‘here’ - the way of expressing our true purpose.

What is your magic?

On our evening walk to the pond, we were called to look up. The bird that called a large bright yellow finch. The largest we’ve seen all season. Beautifully impressive and lit up by the sunlight it’s black wings contrast against the bright yellow feathers of its body. Yellow finch called out in song, C responded in kind and we all played like that for a while. Wondering what the view was like from up there, 60 ft in the air on the dead branch of the tall maple. how wonderful it must be to see it all to feel big even though it’s small. Perspective is everything.

An executive I’m working with, new to a team is finding the way to collaboration and teamwork. She is the most seasoned of them all in her role, the rest are all new to the function and this being the first time for them in their seats. Everyone brings great depth of experience in critical areas for the success of the company. However, the team as ‘team’ is still learning how to collaborate and trust. Not easily balanced among the team. Instead judgement shows in lack of communications manifesting in cycling through topics with greater drama.

There is a saying asa coach, we have to meet the client where they are, just as we meet each other where we are and consider perspective. What this executive knows is that she’s working within the team’s ability to build trust, she knows what their defaults are and how they behave for critical decisions under pressure, and they have not named it as a team. That is the invitation. To name it name what they each need in order to move quickly decisively and in unity. A simple sounding need, but one that requires the willingness and the ability to perceive from someone else’s view and have effective dialogue discussion inquiry to verify what your understanding or lack there of us true, thus the paradox of meeting the client where they are . As coach, we see what they don’t yet to see.

I can imagine what the fantasies not all of it of course but my childlike imagination can go further still. Range in perspective range and motion is a wonderful thing.

Where do you want to extend your range?

Having finished with that flower bud Bumblebee slowly backed out and made ready to get to the next bud. Methodical, tenacious and dedicated to the pursuits is all Bumblebee represented. Certain not to give in to any obstacle and give over to the joys of the pursuit. We watched in awe.

Just at the bottom of the ridge a smaller bumblebee moved along from flower to flower in the Asparagus fields.

These bugs amaze us - tiny resilient and capable - we can’t underestimate what is possible with will and skill.

What do you want to overcome with your resilience and skill?

A butterfly having just emerged from its chrysalis.

Rock flowers bursting with bright yellow starry flowers.

Everywhere we look there is something to behold in Spring time - emerging, becoming, being.

We are also constantly changing, learning and growing. I caught up with a farm friend to share how we each are doing, and he offered - I learned something new today and so it was a great day, I love learning.

A tech executive I had been coaching shared that he shifted his daily habit to start each day and each project around what he wanted to learn.

If we’re open - nature will meet us in wonder awe and growth.

Stop, look, appreciate.

What’s on your learning agenda?

Today is about showing up and putting words on this page

The most beautiful moment left me speechless today. Watching the wind play with the tall grass on a hillside just before the pond. The sun high in the mid-morning sky. Being with the dance of wind, grass, bees. Being in it to witness, to accept and to enjoy. Gratitude is the feeling that permeates the moment.

All that is in bloom is breathtaking. All that is growing is awe inspiring. It matters not what we worry about, only that it is.

The thoughts of the day attempt to re-enter my mind but I am taking back again and again to these moments. The joy of eating a wild black locust blossom for the first time. The quality of light that was today - clear pure light. Again the thoughts attempt to come back in and again they are not entertained. To relive these moments, instead, again and again.

Ending my day sitting with a friend at the picnic table to welcome the night and one more chore to nourish the flower beds with water not knowing if it will rain as called for or not - I want more beauty, more blossoms and to feed them as I wish to feed myself. With loving care and attention.

> What loving care and attention might you offer yourself?

A team lead I’m working with is frustrated he cannot get one of the folks on his team to follow through. He perceives it as a lack of accountability and a performance issue. He had a crucial conversation and learned his direct report knows about the misses, but gets overwhelmed and is afraid to ask for help. This is his nature, and so they need to redesign their relationship in a way that can create a shorter leash for them both so they can better manage against deliverables.

Where do you want to shorten a leash?

So much green!

Looking south from the top of the pond we took in the sensation of green.

Green permeating everything in a welcomed way

Green to signify summer is on its way.

Green an energized feeling that invites keen observation and a strange combination of calm excitement.

Green bright fluorescent and depth of dark reflected from the cedar forest onto the water making everything seem green

Where is your promise of something to come you wish to acknowledge now?

Turkey vulture hardly fussed, gracefully spread its wings and moved into the sky flying South-East towards the old Orchard on the other side of the ridge. It didn’t need to look back upon us, knowing full well what and who we were.

Shortly after, three geese flew north west over the old Orchard and I wondered of the one I had seen a few days before, had he joined the two.

A leader I coach was feeling lonely in his role. Did others see the challenges he faced?, feel the tired he felt? and experienced the fear that seems pervasive? Yes. But we don’t know until we share. Until we find the others to share what we see, then nothing feels insurmountable or forever. And the only way to find the others is to seek and share. That takes courage.

Reflecting on the lone goose that eyed us the other day, it continued to seek good shelter and kept calling to find the others. Time and persistence no doubt will reward its effort.

Who are you seeking and what do you want to share?

Today I watched the night take over the skyAnd patterns move along the cloud coverA single spot revealed the dark night sky beyond the cloudAgain the notion of singular coming upCuriousSometimes it feelsLike we are aloneForgetting we are partOfThe sky clouds and stars

What do you need to remember?

Full quote:

I really don't know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it's because in addition to the fact that the sea changes, and the light changes, and ships change, it's because we all came from the sea. And it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea - whether it is to sail or to watch it - we are going back from whence we came.

Remarks at the Dinner for the America's Cup Crews, September 14 1962]” ― John F. Kennedy[

A lone goose flew around the pond pondering a landingI watched it circleIt passed me at the north end flying low enough we made eye contactI saw it appreciated my welcome but max dog was too predictable to give goose any comfortIt circled back and continued south

What do you wish to circle and spy?

the daffodils grow despite the frost and occasional snowfall

the new grass shoots up in between the straw spent grass of the year before

the cat tails not yet visible save for what’s left in place, we know will come up

life begins in place of the death of the years before

life and death, death and life

we revel in the resilience of all that’s new and acknowledge what will inevitably be in the here and the now

we celebrate, us and all the wildlife forage in the new growth and rejoice in its nourishment and promise. Each day the sun shines we soak in its energy, desperate to replenish our own stores and be ready for what's to come.

It's a time that accentuates what is fleeting, and invites joy and celebration. Celebrate and enjoy what is now. The dandelions that at this time of year are their utmost sweet. Take in their abundance and be busy with what can be made with them.

A team leader in a reflective moment remarked “This is rare” acknowledging the joy working with her team. She celebrated the rare qualities of support, candour and creativity the team lives every day in their mission to be courageous in the world. So many others she serves yearn for these qualities of authentic support her team nurture easily in each other.

We are accountable as leaders, managers, team mates, citizens for what we celebrate, acknowledge and nurture around us. Let us be wise in appreciating what we have, and focus our energy on what we want to nurture where we can.

What will you celebrate today?

Tea in hand Max dog and I walked down the path towards the pond. It’s completely gray cloud cover with spots of rain now and then. Cooler today. But tea in hand is instant warmth and comfort of a shared experience that connects us through the ages of tea in hand walking with dog down a well worn one path.

The ritual of tea is an homage of love for the earth, the farmer, community, place politics and rhythm. All encompassed in dried leaves and flowers steeped in hot water.

What we make of this ritual matters. The tea we choose for the time of day, the vessel in which the precious leaves are held, the cup we select to experience the aroma warmth and flavor. All of these can matter, and can not, we choose.

There is a rhythm to it as well. What you have when, how, and why. Is it a pick me up at a certain time in the day. A shared experience with a friend, or in community. How you incorporate tea into the rhythm of your life? The way we approach tea can connect us in time to each other. Can we make it matter? Can we ground the experience in love and appreciation?

Max dog and I walk around the pond tea in hand to appreciate the spring that creates the pond, the life force of all around us - frogs that call all day and night, a baby turtle 1 inch big that C placed by the waters edge, the blackbirds that protect their nests, all of it with each sip…

Where do you want to walk today?

Perfectly round, striations larger on the outside and thinning to the center. It cannot be a seashell carried with glacial ice to this spot on the south shore of the pond. A local snail perhaps?

Beauty is everywhere if we stop to look, so we have to be slow enough, open enough, willing enough.

I facilitated an in person offsite for an engineering team, the first for this team in two years. People checked in with gratitude at being able to gather, some meeting each other in person for the first time.

The intention of the day was to align on the team’s strategic focus, to enliven their mission and values converting them into regular practises and with enough clarity that each leader could offer the team their commitment. What they were willing to do in support of the shared goal.

After the check-in to ground in mindful presence, we started with one of Patrick Lencioni‘s trust building exercises: “where do you did you grow up? How many siblings did you have and the order? And what was a challenge from that time”. The CTO went first to set the tone he was heartfelt and impactful.

Each leader shared in the same way. Real authentic truth of what shaped them to become the men they are today. Everyone resonated in someway with the stories and saw each other in a new light. They realized how much pain and yearning they had in common. They all want to be part of a ‘family’, connecting with each other in pursuit of a share goal, to win and strive together. To be a team. Much beauty and depth of soul was revealed that day.

How will you invite ‘slow enough’ to see into your day?

Some things are transformed in the emerging light, the greenhouses turn into white tunnels, the grasses show bright green underneath grey browns of the previous seasons.

Standing in the shadow of the eastern ridge nothing here yet reached by the light, the pond is flat, utterly still, reflecting the surrounding moraine a perfect image.

Everything is in contrast between light and shadow.

What can you see in the contrasts?

To witness the start of a day is a gift of Grace, an invitation to choose how to be.

The bird calls fill the air with activity, they are who call in the day. The rabbits aren’t yet up yet squirrels and chipmunks are still in their nests.

Max dog and Emmett the cat are ready to explore what’s here and what’s been of the night before.

What is calling you to explore today?

Just like that the peepers (the tiny pond frogs) are here. One good and warm full sun day and they’ve sounded their bright joyous song. Peep peep peep Peep!

And more bird songs accompany them. Everyone is getting busy with Spring - much to do, prepare, and create.

Activity abounds from sunrise to night - the peeps keep peeping and the birds keep singing

What do you want to create with the energy of Spring?

Ripples across the surface of the pond at first look like they came from within the water. Something swimming? could it be the wind travelling across the surface?

The source unknown the effect of ripples travelling along the surface causing a V like shape. But it’s too early for fish or tadpoles or turtles.

The wind can be magic like that.

What magic do you want to feel right now?

Frost covered the fields, giving everything a silvery glow.

This was to be a morning of transition.

The sun would burn off the ice within a few hours. The cloud cover gave a hint of more weather to come. This might be a day of transitions.

We pay attention to the changes and prepare as best we can

How will you prepare in transition?

Foggy soup - sometimes that’s how life is.

You can only make out what is proximate, everything in the distance feels unclear,

but we can feel the sun coming.

Have faith, take one step in front of the other and pay attention to all your senses including intuition

What are your senses telling you right now?

We stop too

We wait and observe listening with all our senses, looking for what he sees. We stand at the ready.

What do you want to observe in stillness?

Again and again the invitation is refresh, breathe in the cool calming life’s air, breathe out whatever needs to be let go.

Breathe in the freshness today.

The sun shone down like forgiveness. Washing over us in a warm embrace.

It is a clear sky today a welcome relief from days of rain and wind and grey skies.

Emmett the cat chose to join us on this morning‘s walk. Everyone is up for an adventure around the pond. To explore what’s changed since the night.

The maple sap buckets from the trees we have tapped are in varying states of filling up. One or two more days before they will be emptied into pots for boiling down. But that is for another day.

Today the sun welcomes a slow reprieve, be gentle, go easy, be well. Enjoy the sunshine, look up and bask in its gift.

What can you look up to?

Pockets of sunshine, that’s what we are getting today. The clouds, layers of shapes and colours and varying speeds as they move across the sky. And then pockets of sunshine appear and get covered again.

Each time the sun appears I am relieved to bask in the light and be reminded it is in fact there.

Today is not a day for big plans or bold moves. It is a day to hunker in. Relish in the sunshine with graces and prepare and be aware when it doesn’t shine. The wind is warning to be mindful lots of things can happen with big wind. Stay calm be present.

Max-dog and I stop at the south end of the pond, I watch as his ears nose and eyes attune to all around. He is still as he takes it in, assessing before we make our next move. We are OK to proceed around the pond in our usual way.

As we move forward we come to another perch of reflection, just below where the coyotes visit atop the ridge. We see two ducks make their way southwest across the sky leveraging the direction of the wind and travelling as a pair. There are many pairs happening right now. They seek where they will hunker in and make a nest. I wish them a safe journey and hope their destination welcomes them for what they seek.

What would you like to welcome into your day?

They grow no matter what, buds on each tree are a maroon brown in contrast with the weathered grey brown lower down on each branch. No matter the conditions they mature just a bit more each day. Some days faster than others

The same with the sap of the maples we’ve tapped. Dripping into buckets. We enjoy whatever rate of flow they give us. Slow or fast

This is not how we are in the world. We get upset if it’s not fast enough or too fast. We have an expectation a state of mind that judges the experience in one way or another. Some might offer this as a good thing - ambition and drive, innovation and efficiency.

I wonder what it is to be ok with what is while holding the ambition. We have a powerful mind

Can we hold the paradox?

Spring transitions have the wild swings of warm summer like days and then back to the freeze of winter. It’s a test of our resilience and faith.

Summer will come when and how is unknown. Being OK with and even grateful for what it is, that’s the magic.

Letting go of expectation and finding the gratitude within in the what is.

What is for you today?

They’ve been here all along!

Mullein plantain dandelion - all here to welcome the spring and remind us they been here all along

What do you want to remember? Remember with Faith that has been here to support you nurture you and welcome you to the next season. A coming back to yourself and the remembering that faith strength resilience was always here. Sometimes covered in layers of snow and ice but here nonetheless.

What is calling you back to Faith from within?

Covered in layer of ice, each plant or bush wears is it not like a burden but a badge of honor.

This is the season where a layer of ice is nutrition. It will feed each bud and branch it covers, quench their thirst and send the right message of what to do and when.

Today it is “don’t open your buds yet, it’s still too early”. The ice not so thick as to say “soon, soon you can release the flower within.”

How can you honour your beauty today?

The clouds moved across the dome of the yurt revealing the full moon along the wafts of wind. Again comfort reclaimed the feeling of the night.

Coyotes howled in the distant Forest and an owl‘s call was the last thing we heard before falling asleep.

Our touchstone is nature.

In organizations it can be the mission or the people and teams you work within. Whichever, coming back to our touchstone again and again keeps perspective healthy. Being in the now is what the clouds, howls, and hoots brought us. This moment is life.

What is bringing you into the now?

We work best within the realm of possibility. The vision of what can be grounded in faith within the now of our lives and the resilience skills in holding both. Ruminating on past or future is useful in learning and stating a shared sense of risk. Preparing for that risk and acting from the wisdom of what we’ve learned is the gift we can come back again and again.

Be with the vast sky and see the worry as clouds floating past. They hold shape for a time and are moved with the grace of wind.

What do you want to let float past?

Max dog stopped abruptly at Thickett in the forest and stared. So I stopped to and we both stared and listened.

What does he see that I don’t see?

Patience, breath, in, out. Slowing down and looking. What’s here?

I looked, waited and breathed into the invitation Max-dog had offered to slow down to what’s here

The trees were dark. It was dusk offering not much light beyond shapes and shades. We stared and I saw max dogs head tilt in inquiry and then I caught what he could see.

Red squirrel. Among the most torturous of friends. Sitting atop a branch for 5 feet away and above. Staring down at us.

Max dog let out a bark yelp of great frustration. Squirrel didn’t move. He knew he was the wiser and perfectly protected exactly where he was. Squirrel shook his tail to further emphasize the point and Max dog offered another bark!

Sometimes another sees what we don’t see.

And executive team includes a leader that often offers “no worries statement “. The potential risk or threat in the situation that others don’t see. Sometimes the team receives it as an offer of risk, other times in frustration, why can’t we just do this?! Execute as we’re attuned to do, why slow down to assess the risk?

In our deepest wisdom we know the value and tension in slowing down. To inquire explore even for one meeting or a few and decide is it worth diverting from the path we are on?

I offered to max dog not now, it’s too dark and you are too excited to remember the safety of our home. You can play with squirrel tomorrow.

What do you want to slow down to see?

We walked through a thick fog that blurred everything ahead into extremes - shades of muted white grey and black. If I didn’t know this landscape and the path to the yurt it would have been dangerous to proceed.

I took comfort in the solar light shining brightly ahead to mark the entrance to the yurt. It had charged throughout the day and shone so brightly as to be unnatural in the dark

In a scale up we’ve been talking as a leadership team about what would give us the signs we were on the right path to greater success. “A repeatable sales model and the ability to ‘digest’ what we sell” the CEO offered. Another client had been so successful at attracting and then closing new enterprise customers but hadn’t shored up their ‘digestion’ ie the ability to deliver on the promises and ensure the product could scale to meet demand. They’d felt like they’d ingested an entire pig and could barely move forward. A horrific image and debilitating problem tha could kill their early success, ruining their newly won reputation by breaking promises.

Being able to see ahead to know the signals of success and failure, work through assumptions can help make the yet unknown path ahead feel more recognizable. Having a single goal gives the feeling of the light we are heading towards.

Max dog and I made our way on the slippery path towards the yurt. It had snowed and then rained and now everything was frozen over. So while we were happy for the walk, the feeling of cool night air, the fresh smells of snow trees and the farm we took our time smiling along the way in anticipation of warmth and a cup of tea.

What signs are you paying attention to?

What is it to wake up to the blue sky and sunshine that feels so good?!

There is no questioning the feeling of sun on your face, just gratitude. Maybe its the welcome after days of rain. If we’d always been in sunshine might we not notice it as much?

And here it is, blue sky and deep appreciation, and the anticipation of a beautiful dayWhatever the reason, gratitude is the feeling.

What is that you are grateful for?

The simplicity of what is, can be all that’s needed without thought of could, should, if this or that

What is for you today?

Sap is running and we have 9 buckets out. C went out to tap some of our big maples today. They are warm and running. Amazing

I know this ride

We’re into it now - it will all come fast. Next is seedlings.

The wind was warm tonight. Like the trees know it.

Hard to imagine with all the snow and ice

I feel myself hold my breath with anticipation.

Spring!

To fall asleep under the starsTwinkling hello and comfortSmile and fall asleep without worry or careFeel held

Waking on sunriseIt alights the sky dome and reveals the blue skyAndThe light smoke from the chimney wafts across the viewSlowly the sunshine fills the room in golden light to welcome the day

We bundle up to go outsideIt won’t be a long walk when it’s this cold

The trees glisten at their top-most branches covered in iceRabbit tracks are everywhere, and in particular placesFrom the forest to the greenhouseFrom the big greenhouse to the little greenhouse and then on to the Sea Buckthorn thicketJoy in their steps and purpose

To be at purpose and with joy, that’s what we strive forWe hear it in the birdsong that talks to us as we make our way back to the yurt for breakfast

What is purposed joy for you today?

Competition can feel like Rabbit taunting us from across the fence about what they may be doing here or there. It matters to know the context in which you offer your products and service but chasing their elusive tail is not what wins the day.

At the best of my clients they do a yearly or semi-annual competitive landscape and some type of strengths weaknesses opportunities threat analysis to keep their eyes on the horizon and aware enough to take any opportunistic or mitigating actions. It takes discipline and the systemic approach to ensure we don’t get lost in chasing your tail versus the focused productive chores that win the long game.

Max-dog and I got to the yurt to restock the wood and check on the buildings systems. All was well, a great relief. While I do my chores, Max gets to play, bounding back to me happy as can be for all the tracks and scents he got to explore.

Who is the tail you may be chasing?

I listened to the sound of the rain and ice pelt the roof of the yurt and the wind move the walls. It’s nasty out! Even Max dog was not in a hurry to get out for our morning walk

Our perception and awareness of our emotional, physical, spiritual state informs our thoughts and reactions. Sometimes it’s just shitty and that’s OK. Feeling it run its course is what’s important to move through.

Take good care of yourselfBe as present as you can to all of itAll will be well

What is for you today?

The branches sparkled in the morning light, covered in ice crystals. A light breeze showered us in ice confetti, and it felt like we were in the magical world of a snow globe. The invitation to slow down.

When I spoke with an executive earlier in the week at a fast growing tech company. They had become the successful unicorn many scale-ups aspire to. The question we discussed was: do we have to go so fast? What is it about speed and constant growth that’s so important. Beyond the obvious pressure of ROI for the investment group or the shareholder, there are always moments and versions of the answer to this question in any size or stage of scale. There is no right or wrong answer, save for one that supports the mission, vision, and values of the company. And in the context of your personal and team perspective.

As a leader, what do you stand for in the context of speed?

On the farm, the principal “go slow to go fast” is a virtue that is paramount in all we do. If we think through to the end of the season and what success looks like, working within our core value of ease and joy, it gives a sense of what’s important and has to be done along the way. Last year we grow sweet potatoes for the first time. We learned a lot and one of the lessons was to start the potato slips earlier. That means starting them now to get to abundance in October

C had built a raised bed for the sweet potatoes that I can use again, it’s infrastructure that is scaleable. This is an important element in our decisions for how fast to go and with what and when. If we didn’t have that infrastructure it would be an important thing to start as soon as the ground thawed.

When we are in a constant mode of speed a lot can be lost in the frenzy. Like our why. We want great food and an approach of ease in the process so that we can enjoy as we go. A crazy or frenetic state of being or striving for growth at all costs is not one that supports our values. Joy is part of the journey and good grounded hard work each day.

What is important in your journey?

For now it is frozen tundra and not long from now it will be abundance.

This is the time of year when natural stores of food are at their lowest and the animals and us dig deep into our wells of strength and faith to access the wisdom that helps us find secret stashes, creative solutions, and new ways to bring us forward into the next season.

What does your wisdom offer you today?

We are in a thaw. It’s been raining nonstop for more than a day. No doubt some places will flood, here it has revealed grass! The first sign of a Spring, grass, right here under the surface of snow and ice.

Product market fit, the magic words are the first sign that you have something customers want and will pay for. A scale up I’m working with has landed their first big deal. They are an enterprise play, so product market fit looks like whales in the ocean. The first whale that will grace your shore is celebrated like grass. Spring is coming! More customers are on their way! And all the work that comes with that.

We revel in the work. It’s part of the journey. To revel in our work, to play to our strengths, to feel on purpose in whatever we do is grace and joy.

Grass. I will take the rain for the grass it reveals. Max dog and I will manage across the ice that was the path and now saturated snow. Grass, for the Spring to come.

The only birds out this morning to witness the revelation and who can withstand the rain is Crow. They caw from the forest, they caw from the sky, rain to bring the Spring so I’ll take the caw. And look forward to the Chickadee Snowbird Cardinal and doves who may emerge later in the day to also revel in the first signs of Spring.

How might you celebrate your version of rain?

Nature, faith, community these words came to my mind as I listen to the howling.

Looking over at the birds at the feeder. Winter is a joyful exchange of rest reflection and forward faith into what is possible, what we hope for. The birds waited in the safety of nearby branches and bushes for reprieve from the wind, and then to descend into the abundance of seed. The branches dance with each gust. Happy fluttering of wings back-and-forth for branches to seed, seed to branches.

The wind reminds us of the dark and to act within light. This is an every day practice. We knew a storm was coming, paying attention to the weather and the forces around us, we had prepared. We had prepared with wood for heat, candles in case the power went out and ready made food.

The birds show us how to be safe in a storm, to take care of our needs, enjoy when we can and retreat out of harms way when needed.

What does wind bring to mind for you?

I watched the sunlight come in through the window, and I felt immediate gratitude, Sun! We are in for a sunny day. A welcomed change from the recent storms and grey skys.

Friends are like sunlight. They warm us up from the inside out. They remind us of the grace in life, how to hold paradox, and really good friends, they bring us back to purpose. They relate to our hard and our joy.

I hope everyone has a friend that feels like sunshine.

Who is your sunshine?

It’s amazing to think that going in to the winter the best way for the tree to be is completely naked - showing us the beauty of its strength and exposing its ‘weaknesses’ for all to see. How courageous.

I’m working with a CEO now who is laying her organization bear. We’re walking the path together to strengthen their culture and accelerate their growth. We do this in the same way as the tree - we must lay bear the structure underneath. What’s here that’s working and what’s not. Do we need to limb a branch to strengthen the growth. Late winter is the best time to prune fruit trees - in their dormant state cutting back a few branches to re-purpose the energy come Spring. The tree comes back stronger, the fruit more plentiful and we in symbiotic care with the tree collaborate in what needs to be cut.

As we walked along and past the spruce - it’s leaves a core part of the shape and strength of the tree. The diversity of trees and how they each showed up coming into winter was beautiful to witness. Some showed an incredibly deep red brown colour previously hidden by light green leaves, others all the mosses - bright green and grey growing on parts of the trunk or core branches and many buds now dormant kissed with the gift of possibility.

I only work with organizations and leaders willing to look at their naked organizations - willing to expose the structure and any issues within so that we can address the opportunities and challenges in service of their mission. It’s a hard thing to do to look so vulnerably at what is below the noise of leafy activity and instead at the root, trunk and branches so that we might make the changes needed. It takes strength and courage.

What courage do you want to lay bear today?

Life can be like that at times - more grey than blue or more blue than grey

A scale up client is in the push and pull of growth - some parts working at accelerated innovative speed and others still finding their way, missing key talent to shape the capability needed to also accelerate growth.

What we know is the blue sky is there and the clouds will dissipate at some point. It’s holding both that is our challenge and our gift.

When we move into judgment as in the case of my client and judge the leader or CEO harshly for example for not having set up his organization well by hiring senior talent soon enough and instead just the ‘doers’ we lose the skill of curiosity under which is the magic of learning. Staying curious as to the how, when why of the current situation affords us much greater insight so as to learn for true accelerated growth.

The Director of Talent recommended they hire a C-level role to run engineering. There is double the money in the current market making attracting that calibre of talent difficult and therefore taking more time than maybe they had originally bargained. So, the Director of Talent also recommended hiring a VP level in case that might be ‘easier’. The CPO pushed back - we will lose focus and the current Director in Engineering is doing a good and enough job. If we move into judgment too quickly we don’t get to find out more about the CPO. What’s his origin story, the context for how he might have come to that conclusion. Letting go of judgment to the CPOs offered solution enables greater depth of understanding for the situation and who he is - his biases and assumptions. No matter what solution they choose, the opportunity instead is to learn about how they make these decisions. Who weighs in, when, why with what. How does it influence the team to execute or not. Staying in a place of curiosity is the magic that unlocks holding both.

The grey clouds offer rain or snow to come - important nourishing elements at this time of year. The blue sky does the same in a different way.

All of it without judgment of good or bad - it is and we in it.

> What is for you today?

Is this the wind that calls sailors to sea?

My sailor friend Bets an adventurer, gardener and leader I wondered what it was about. Certainly the wind can bring messages if we’re listening.

In the meetings we run to day to day I hear leaders share their perspective, advocate for a point of view or an action plan. I do not hear listening. They respond to what the others are saying with rationale, explanation but no curiosity.

It is not the “I” that wins the day, it’s the we. The collaboration in problem solving of finding new ways forward we hadn’t yet considered or thought of. There is an art to collaboration to holding an effective meeting, beside the table stake of a good agenda and facilitation. It’s active listening - to stop the thoughts in your head in response to whatever the person is saying and focus intently on what they are actually saying.

I’ve given many folks this simple tool I learned in coaching - when you hear your head go off in response, instead repeat the words of the person you’re listening to. This allows you to stay present in the moment of the conversation, and ask a question before offering a solution. Maybe there’s more to be understood before we dive into action. Maybe there’s more alignment to be gained. Maybe there’s more.

What is the wind calling to you?

The snow is smooth like fondant covering a cake - the slopes the pond the field. Not one indication of movement above or below the surface. An image of absolute stillness and quiet

All the animals hunkered in there burrows and den’s curled up and staying warm

An image of cosy in contrast to the landscape. The wonder of paradox. Cosy in amongst the -21°C snow covered hills trees and Pond. Everyone where they should be, awaiting the warmer day to come.

How do we remember that we can hold both?

In the current times of polarizing views there doesn’t seem to be a remembering. But even those we perceive to be “extreme” or opposite can be beautiful in their opposition. We can appreciate the community that is created we can lean into our shared skills of empathy dialogue curiosity to seek understanding. To find the way back to being together.

The snow and this landscape does not draw borders or delineate its welcoming of our footsteps and our appreciative gaze based on a perspective. It is a shared space for me, Max dog, the wild animals plants water. All of us appreciating and remembering that we are here together.

How will you hold cozy in the extremes?

Standing in the wind I feel it push me forward. I feel the strength of it. I hear the howling through the trees and across the field

We withstand the wind and the cold for the promise of what’s to come, relief and the next season.

We stand in it to remember our strength of holding ground

We stand in it to take in the awe of the natural world of which we are part

Max dog rolls around in the fresh deep snow he is happy

What strength do you stand in today?

Sometimes we’re not sure is it me or them?

The new executive had two mandates, raise the level of leadership across the board and instill operational excellence. This mandate is far reaching across all groups and requires a deep collaboration with all leaders

The first toes she stepped on were the COO. In an SLT meeting there was clear tension when the COO was asked to give over one of his perceived responsibilities. A tough conversation no matter the context.

The new exec and the COO had collaborated to set up the SLT discussion and she thought he was clear on the objective but in the ensuing discussion it was evident he was not and now a public conversation outed the misunderstanding. He was pissed. She was surprised. Where to go from here?

Crucial conversations are not easy but they’re worth it. These two executives are critical to achieve the business goals and at an important time in ensuring its strong market lead position. Friction at the top can slow things down. They needed to talk and stay in dialogue to find a way back to trust.

She knew where she had gone wrong in the discussion, not enough empathy and too hard driving to what she thought was was a shared goal. He felt betrayed and diminished in front of his peers. Is there a fault?

There is dialogue and learning a new way

When we arrived at the pond Max-dog’s cowl went up and we both slowed to a standstill to survey the potential threat. A deer? A coyote? Or the Fox that has made a den in the eastern slope? No, it was the pair of snow shoes I had stuffed into a snowbank for later use that Max dog took offence to it. An unusual object in his expected perception.

What do you see anew in your landscape?

We walked into the snowfall. New snow almost always takes me back to the wonder of childhood.

Landing like icing sugar atop everything and a fresh mist upon my face.

It was a lovely surprise. The implications of which, not yet registering or feeling important. Like, shovelling, more wood on the fires etc.

Isn’t it wonderful to welcome a surprise and just be in the joy of it without judgment.

What wonder will you invite into your day?

We crunch along the path, observing the light change the day. It’s a pink sky this morning. The pond still in the shadow of trees and is captured by the blue cold of leftover night.

We stepped out of the pink sunlight and into the blue. It’s a different feeling here. Max dog plays in the deep snow following the scent of Fox. He has enough and so we walk back into the light, the feeling changes again.

Step into the light. Step out of the light.

What if these thoughts don’t matter?

We need simple expressions that remind us of the how and why. That exemplify the culture of the system and organization that we are in. An easy expression that keeps us connected to each other in shared purpose and mission.

At Freshbooks, Grace and Randy created Execute on Extraordinary Experiences Everyday. Many of us will never forget the Herculean effort they put forth to surprise the company with these words painted on the top most wall across our biggest workspace. It has since become a mantra for Freshbooks and exemplifies their culture beautifully.

At our company, Leaders@Scale we are still playing with our true north, the expression that exemplifies all of what we stand for. #courageousleadership #leadershipisalifestyle #transformationalleadership. We accelerate your growth and scale your culture.

Louise Karch has written a beautiful book, Seven Words, that creates a path to get there. April Dunford has done something similar with Obviously Awesome.

Words matter.

What are your four or seven words?

Today it’s like frozen comfort - soft, billowy and with just the right amount of give as we swoosh through it. Gratitude is how it makes me feel. Wondrous at nature. And observant.

This mornings stories in the snow tell us about Rabbit and maybe a jumping jack mouse - the tracks share with us where they came from and where they are going and a little bit of why.

Once we’ve got the full picture in place - we can be about the minutia, the detail of the moments throughout the day. In the ‘weeds’ of it. Looking down at the lowest levels to see what’s happening, what’s here to tell us what might be the next move.

Max-dog’s next move was chasing down all the scents in the tracks - onto the pond, through the ice and muck with a happy tail telling us his progress.

What are the weeds telling you today?

A thick layer of clouds covered the sky but the sunrise was an incredible bright yellow orange with depth and breadth. the light filled the sky below the clouds in contrast to the thick grey/blue of the clouds above.

I knew these moments would be fleeting - rare glimpse into the intense quality of this incredible light - changing the way everything looked

Working in a great team with the powerful feeling of flow is so rare and wonderful. Savouring the moments of challenge and overcoming together is like no other experience. When we know these moments - what they feel like, how they work - then we can yearn for them again and work towards recreating the conditions for the same.

A large hawk flew over the forest and field - catching the wind and light as it moved. hunting for breakfast.

As we walked along more birds came out to great us - chickadee’s, wren’s. everyone enjoying the quality of being bathed in this incredible light before the contrasting clouds would change the day

I cannot control the quality of the sunlight but I can relish in the beauty of this orange/yellow glow before the contrast takes over. And even still I can know its there just above the clouds

What are you yearning for today?

What are our early warning system? Is there a signal that let’s us know danger is imminent or at risk? Often the signs are fleeting - if we’re not paying attention we may miss them completely.

The sunrise was a dramatic combination of reds, pinks even streaks of deeper azure blue and the sailor’s creed came to mind. The sky held these colours for just a few moments before the rising sun changed the sky again.

Some times the signs are so obvious we have to work to ignore them like the sky this morning. It’s dramatic, prominent and I can make meaning from it. And I would guess some people may not know this sailor’s warning or connect to the weather like we do on the farm

It depends on what you’re paying attention to and what you’re willing to be open to.

How are you embracing the early warning system in your llife?

There is a nettle plant growing up between the deck boards at the yurt, two in fact.

We looked for her all summer and then one Fall day she popped up. I was so happy to find her. Nettle is a powerfully healthy and supportive plant. Drunk as a tea or an infusion, she helps regulate our “chi “life force energy among many other benefits.

Each morning I greet her, and believe it or not, feel her positive energy say hello back. She is frost hearty, and while she droops with a heavy ice of the early morning and night before, she pops back into her beautiful self with the warmth of the sun.

For the longest time we were lamenting at not being able to find any nettle at all, “how can this be?! “Then once we found one we found the others.

It makes me curious about the people, the talent, we desperately seek. One of the biggest issues for many of my scaling clients is talent. In the tech sector it’s a growth economy, people are hiring, salaries are high, and talent seemingly scarce. But if you have some great people, they will help you find the others.

In my experience with the best recruiting teams we always hired 1/3 from staff referrals. The rest brute effort. We always celebrated each referral we got in public ways and on a regular basis.

There’s something absolutely special about nettle. an energy that is palpable.

Finding the others is an important human need and once we find one we can find more because they know others or have the creative energy to help.

What is your way to find the others?

The old stump, glowing gossamer in the morning light, revealed its new purpose. No longer a growing tree, filled with the holes made by woodpeckers and squirrels for storing nuts as well as a myriad of insect now making it home. No longer growing it is transformed into another life.

ML is a new manager for a small and critical team. They are tasked with solving a problem that could unlock exponential growth for their organization. ML was introduced to the team and then made a manager after the first few weeks. This was a management mis-step - in this case moving so fast to get people hired and in without considering more context for the team and impact on the individual ie ML.

The leader responsible was thinking about the 3 month probationary period as the time at which the promotion would occur versus putting ML into the seat with the team and letting her actions from the role for which she was hired determine if she should stay. ML was part of this decision with her leader, thinking if she came in as one of the team she could get her feet wet with the work and the context before also taking on people management. All in all these moves created a negative dynamic on the team as no clear criteria for ML’s seemingly sudden promotion were offered and the others, particularly B on the team who had the same tenure as ML and more experience, saw it as an unwarranted surprise. Why wasn’t he chosen - again no context offered.

We need a courageous conversation.

We need to acknowledge the miscommunication, create clarity, and connect with empathy to a shared vision of the future potential.

At this stage at growth, where demand has been established, there is momentum across all teams, friction not only creates a negative impact it has a massive wake given the tenuous lead the organization has and the critical nature of this team’s role.

The hope is B will embrace the transformation required. He may not have expected this way forward but the ask is for a fundamental shift to propel him and the team forward with greater self awareness, a new way to work within the team and support the mission of the company

Tree accepts transformation with grace and wisdom showing us the beauty of this way.

What is the beauty way forward for you?

I first learned this expression from C, who learned it from his military experience. It was a funny to me way of saying let’s get going. To pick up my energy and drive forward whatever I was doing. On the farm there are always a million tasks to be done. Never ending, and that’s the way of it. Speed in what you do and efficiency are paramount.

To every business there is a season. At FB our “go season“ was fall, gearing up for the end of the year tax season when small medium businesses would be looking for support. That meant the summer was a big wave of activity to raise awareness and serve our community. SME, meet ups, and big ticket events. My favourite was SxSW by because it always challenged our marketing/CS team to do some thing outrageous, completely unexpected and characteristic of our brand. Creativity innovation and purpose with a bit of whimsy thrown in. Behind the ideas a small team of mighty Giants

In the here and now at the farm we are planning the garden. That’s not just what we will grow, but when how and where. Each answer critical to success. The details for each plant is what I will be tackling over the next few days. Pulling out the seed packets and information pages to know how long it takes to germinate and calculating back from the approximate planting date, post frost, when the seedlings would need to be started.

In software we managed back from a release date or a customer driven milestones. The key to success being our build process. That’s why methods like agile were so revolutionary to the speed of progress. We no longer had to follow a waterfall process of large chunks of code, things could be broken down to the smallest of small MVP, the story point.

In the garden we grow with imagination of what the weather will bring as well as systems to support growth. How irrigation is laid out mulch or some type of weed suppression a nutrient management plant feed the plants even before they get in the ground and then throughout the growing season pest control pruning. All the message methods to maximize flavour and yield

I am excited to pitter patter into the plan and ensure our timing is right for what we will grow.

What do you want to pitter patter into today?

Teams are the place and people we want to be safe with, it’s not always the case but it can be cultivated. Even in the storms that may be raging around you.

My current favourite team building tool is based on Lencioni’s work. It’s a good proxy to assess the level of individual and team courage.

Courage is the main virtue that all of us need to start with to aspire to any others according to Maya Angelou. I agree with her.

If we don’t feel safe enough within and without to be courageous, we won’t say the thing, we won’t challenge with empathy. We won’t step into curiosity to ask questions that may challenge in the moment and push our thinking to innovate in new ways outside the status quo.

The promised magic of team flow, for those of us who have been lucky enough to experience this, I invite you to slow down in this moment and go back to the feeling of it. Let the experience wash over you. It is shared purpose a way of being together and the courage to say the thing that might unlock greater potential or deeper connection.

How will you garner safety in this moment?

Max-dog and I took an evening walk down the path to the pond. Not much light tonight, the moon is hiding behind the clouds.

We’ve had a warm spell of a day.

As we approach the trees, the big maples, they remind me, We are here through it all. No matter what changes, we are here with you. I thank the trees for reminding me about the timelessness of nature and soul

What’s important to remember today?

If only they could have another type of conversation, to change the rules of play. Max-dog might get more satisfaction but I don’t think they are speaking the same language.

Many of my clients are sharing their dismay at what is being called “The Great Resignation”. A CTO in my coaching practice remarked, he has never seen this level of turnover in his career. Another client shared her company is using survey data and exit interviews to attempt to gain insights. They survey employees regularly to ask their level of satisfaction or engagement and the number one reason people leave in the exit interview is that they were working on a project they did not like.

A simple fix? But no one is having the conversation. Instead they run around it like Max-dog in the shed they aren’t actually talking to each other.

If I can talk to rabbit I might ask “what kind of play would you like to have? What about it would be deeply satisfying or not?” With those two questions we would get to a collaboration in the design of our shared play. These are good questions to start a conversation with staff. I might also ask if they could look back at this year or the next few thinking of them with great pride, what would have been accomplished?

There are so many great questions we can ask, so let’s ask. Let’s have regular conversations to find out how are people really are and what work is offering them satisfaction or not. Instead it seems we opt for more data, sending out more surveys and asking after the fact why they left

Although I suspect Rabbit and Max-dog might disagree on the outcome for the game, but they could likely agree on the joy of a chase!

What conversation do you want to start today?

We are going into a cold snap over the next few days. We’ve had a big dump of snow that’s sticking around and temperatures around -25°C/-6°F. It requires extra vigilance in keeping our wood fires going which is how we heat our buildings on the farm. As well as bundle up with extra layers, this is when warm socks and a great sweater are a make or break. Everything comes down to a much simpler perspective, warmth is what matters.

In the many times I’ve worked with founders through their rapid growth there is a time we called the “teenage years “the organization has hit product market fit, and just like when you’re a teenager, your body is catching up to the growth and it’s not all even. So there are critical leadership gaps in the organization

Some leaders can maintain a growth mindset and invest rapidly in their skills and still it takes time. At times we need the experience of failure to know where our next “edge of growth “is. If you have that open mindset and can face those failures as well as leverage, hopefully, great advisors and investors around you, you might suffer less. But we can’t always avoid the suffering in service of our growth.

Max dog and I barely made it down the path before his paws and my fingers and toes started to feel frozen. We hustled back to the yurt and put another log on the woodstove and settled in for a warm breakfast and purposed start to the day. I know I will have to stuff the fire more frequently to keep us comfortable and warm.

What reminds you to keep a growth mind, open to what you need to learn and change?

An instant joy fest of wrestling, growling, and glee. Lots of kisses and cuddles before our walk. What a great way to start the day.

For my client that is completing their strategic planning process, I offered the notion of envisioning and imagination. Asking the team what would it be to walk down the road a mile with their goals. What would they need from each other? What would be the early wins? What might get in their way? What do you need now or maybe later?

Inviting imagination allows us to truly envision the success we seek to create showing each other what we see invites greater collaboration and a stronger sense of team, that we’re all in it together and we each play an important part.

Our imagination is powerful! And many strategic planning sessions I’ve participated in over the years can sound like a task list, a dry process of running through the things to be done. When we invite a playful perspective infused with imagination more becomes available. And success is more likely.

How will you play today?

The snow blurred the walk ahead, it felt as though we were walking into a painting. Everything muted and yet clear to discern the scene.

By morning the snow and wind has subsided to reveal a playground of deep fluffy snow for Max dog and I to muck about in

I went to the spots where I knew there was kale and beets to dig for viable leaves and plants for breakfast. I managed to uncover some broccoli as well a wonderful surprise to add to the meal.

It’s a wonder to experience a landscape re-imagined and find the magic beneath.

What wonder can you bring into your day?

A client is in the final stages of their strategic planning. This time around they have a new executive on their team who are driving for focus discipline and more data driven decision making. The others have rallied to this new level.

The meetings are broken up over several two hour chunks, zoom not being conducive to full one or two day planning sessions as before. It’s stretched out over several days and a couple weeks which affords everyone the opportunity for reflection, imagination, and curiosity.

The final planning session is coming up in a few days, an invitation before finishing to envision these goals, the focus it will take, and the work they will do together to accomplish their mission. How will they work together? What will they need from each other? How will it feel?

As Max dog and I prepared to step out for our morning walk, bundling up for the snow and cold, I begin to envision the path we would take and imagine what we might see, deepening my feeling of gratitude for him, for this place, and the beauty we would encounter.

Imagine the feeling of your day, what do you see?

A scale up client is going through some classic growing pains. Having established product-market fit, they are now feeling the gangly teenage years of growth - parts of the company further ahead than others, not enough synergy across the whole.

Engineering has been built up and is humming along with strong seasoned leaders and more on the way. Business development and marketing have created traction, now they live the problem of too much demand and a gap in operational support for customer success and on boarding.

When I think back to my experience at growing successful businesses aka scale-ups, decisions were grouned in the ethos “we take care of our people, they take care of our customers, who intern take care of our business“. An example of this philosophy was an early investment in customer success (CS), hiring the first two CS leaders within the first 20 employees. Those that invested in this way evolved into $B powerhouse companies led by the same leaders we first hired.

Tnose leaders stayed because the company invested in their growth and offered a valuable career arch. As well as, keeping their mission and customer in mind all through the journey of growth - consistently thinking of what would serve them best.

We’ve been in a deep freeze and so everything is covered in an intricate pattern of ice crystals. Anything not yet receiving the light stays frozen in a pool of blue and purple hues.

I crouch down to shift my perspective and observe from the ground up how the light changes each plant and tree. The top most branches still covered, a stark white in contrast to the orange yellow of the Sun’s early rays

I welcome the thought about a full day of warming sunshine might do to each of us, basking in its warmth.

The trees taking in the light secure their energy, gathering it in to create even stronger trunk and roots.

How are you investing in the roots of your life?

What are you doing to offer nourishment for the soil around you?

Alas, Rabbit was not here so we checked under the manure spreader nearby, and then in the thicket of spent Goldenrod. Nowhere to be found.

Watching Max-dog run here and there, his tail wagging with the great joy of the daily check on hiding spots, whether rabbit would be found or not.

Routine gives us stability, the potential for joy in what we might find in the day today.

What routine can you enable today?

We walked into the sunrise. The sky changing with each step. Purple, pink, then bright oranges. Each step brought greater intensity and a deepening gratitude for the possibilities of the day.

What do you want your footsteps to bring you?

It’s a wonder to awake to the moon’s setting. To open the door and be greeted by a near full moon high in the sky across my neighbour’s fields, calling clarity through the trees.

Walking around the pond we witnessed the transition of the blue light of night and the day break just beginning to crest. Our eyes adjusting to both. Being in the experience of the night sky - blue lavender purple reflecting on the snow covered hills while adjusting to the orange and pink of the new day. To hold both and see in this place of transition is to hold two types of light - the blue of the setting moon and the gold orange yellow of the rising sun. Being with the contrast and knowing I can see clearly in both ways.

Transition requires of us to see in old and new ways. To stay curious in both and grounded in our capacity to hold the ways of seeing. The new day will come, there is no holding on that stops it - and there is magic in seeing through the transition. Thanking the moon as it sets for the glorious clarity and breath taking scenery it has offered while welcoming the possibilities held in the new day

What can you stay curious about in transition?

It was a grey morning, so much so it seemed to penetrate everything. We were up well before the light of the day and in the time in between. Night was not done and morning had not yet arrived. It was hard to discern much except at close proximity to the trees or shrubs or grasses. 

These times in between ask of us to gather around, get support, find the others, know that we are no alone in it all. They are temporary and yet feel expansive in the moment. It’s in these times we feel in the jaws of the wolf - are we in or out, lost or found - and so we hang on to the teeth to know where we are.

So I leaned into faith and the well worn path ahead. I know this route and Max dog knows it too. I hung onto his lead this morning as I knew his nose would take him into the dark and this was a time when the wilds were up and about, no need for any surprises.

What do you see in this time in between?

It was a westerly wind blowing straight and carrying large snowflakes signalling the cold. We took a moment to crouch down and feel into the experience. Max-dog in his element, tail wagging as he chased all the scents.

I stood close to the trees for protection and pulled my hat down with the flaps across my ears tied with string under my chin. It’s a hunker-in day. Keep the fires going stay warm with tea and hot soup.

I worked with people that ignore the signs and push through. I’ve been one of those leaders at times, so focused on the goal of the outcome forgetting all else. The cost is higher than we expect when we push through. It’s OK to slow down or stop and take in where you’ve got to, what’s left of the journey, and how the people and resources are around you, before moving on.

I took in the length of the pond from the southernmost vantage point. I crouch down to minimize the impact of the wind. I listen to Max-dog dart around behind me and I made my plans for the day. Letting go of any other ideas beyond what my inner wisdom was informing me and the elements around us.

What does “hunker-in” look like to you today?

The Bluejay was first as they typically are, landing at the top most branch of a nearby tree. Then the crows came by to reinforce  the message I was grateful to hear - all is well.

Sometimes we just need to see beyond ourselves to know that all will be well. Beyond the moment. Beyond the feeling that may be overwhelming us in the moment.

Max-dog and I continue down the path. He chasing all the sounds, ahead but not too far. I slowed my attention to the sounds, the feeling of my footsteps across the uneven terrain, watching Max-dog ahead. The feeling of gratitude and appreciation became present and the acknowledgement of what was before.

The birds continue to call out the story of the forest and the day thus far.

What are the Blue Jays singing to you?

I felt the sunlight behind me like an old friend come to visit, all the familiarity in anticipation of the joy of their embrace. What will the sunlight tell me today? What will it illuminate that I hadn’t seen before?

I watched it light up the fields landing on ice particles in the trees and tops of the golden rod. Creating diamond sparkles throughout the field.

I watch the light change the landscape before my eyes. The invitation to greater activity. The birds now awake moving with speed and grace to gather food and whatever supply they need for themselves and their nests.

What light do you want to invite into your life today?

The snow felt like marshmallows. I swooshed along the path, Max-dog happiest in this cold and after the fresh snow. I felt the joy of my feet moving through step-by-step the marshmallow sensation and it kept me present. Present to my body, how it felt and the beauty of my surroundings.

Passing the big old maple to remind me again of resilience, having weathered another wind and snow storm. I notice a branch missing and the scar left where it was to heal over.

I swooshed along grateful for this child-like feeling of marshmallows to keep me present and out of any future telling or past rumination of thoughts.

I said to myself, remember this feeling in your feet and the joy that reverberates through your body. Remember for when you want to come back to this in the face of whatever surprise the day may bring.

Is this resilience or a resilient practice? No matter it will serve my feet and myself when I need it.

What sensation does your body want you to remember?

I felt into it’s strength and resilience, this young cedar tree in a lone spot along the north east bank at the pond.

I put my hands around the trunk half way from the top - the wind was so strong - I imagined the tree to be soft like those silly advertising balloon figures that blow about without any resistance. No, this tree was solid rooted the branches intricate patterns of green leaf and buds. I was humbled.

How do you remind yourself that you have the strength of tree?

The pond has turned into an ice rink covered in a thin layer of powdery snow

It reminds me how the light can be at a sandy beach, so bright it’s hard to see beyond the reflection.

As leaders we must offer answers and a platform for the questions so we can share together in the wisdom of the answers. Goals give us a sense of the landscape but we need the practice of query into the detail, otherwise it all looks white

The birds have discovered the feeder at the house and it’s become an acrobatics game as to who gets what seed is left and in what order. They hover in the lilac bush branches just above, waiting their turn. Everyone will get some. There is no squawking, just a playful show of their prowess at flying acrobatics. Max-dog also stares out the window at them and Emmett-the-cat calls to be let out.

What’s important to discern today?

What details need attention?

I looked back to see the sunrise alight the trees along the path by the garden. I noticed the beauty of this perspective.

Several times over the past week I have been asked in various ways to reflect on this past year, and I resisted. It’s been a hard year, and my ego offered we’ve done lots of reflecting already, do we really need to do more?

Resistance is a great source for curiosity naming what’s underneath the resistance or simply noticing the feeling and looking anyway seems like a good thing to do. My resistance to reflect became muted in the beauty of the golden light.

Who wants to look back at the mistakes we’ve made and do the good hard work of really looking for the lessons. It’s not fun although rewarding for the knowledge we can take forward.

There’s a mixed bag of skills and practises across my client base in the discipline of reflection so as to learn and gain wisdom.

Some leaders have a rhythm they create within their teams. A quarterly or semiannual review, for example, to set the stage for what’s to come. A ritual of retrospectives at the end of any major projects. Early in my career at McKinsey & Co the best leaders set up a forward looking ‘pre-mortem’ at the kick off and then retrospectives at the mid point and end of each project. Rich with learning and shared experience.

The best engineering teams routinely conducted retrospectives as part of their agile delivery methods, and some founders and CEOs would use this holiday time to reflect on wins and losses over the year. Focusing on their learning across a few key aspects, like relationships, succession, systems and structure and personal development.

Still some don’t, focused on the next goal or the problem of the day. Always in ‘fire fighting’ an exhausting way of being that perpetuates both their good traits and bad.

As I looked back at the path, awash in golden light I saw the greenhouse, garden, and yurt. Key structures each holding lessons from the previous seasons and this current one. An offer of possibility to what could be great in the season to come.

What do you have to do to make this a great year?

—//—

I liked this quote too as it reminded of faith:

God knows far more about living a life of joy and blessings than we do. ― Randy Loubier

We rounded the pond and I stopped to look up. The snow has been falling in that magical speed of slow fast. It’s collecting and falls with the grace of floating with an unseen force.

I looked up to take it in.

Each snow flake a unique creation and large enough to see the detail of their shape size and speed.

I stuck my tongue out bringing me back to the joy of youth - laughing at myself I stood for a while to watch each flake fall as though in slow motion. Giving me the opportunity to see each one while seeing the whole.

What do you want to slow down and take in?