Those treehouse globes were interesting. I wonder what it would be like to sleep there when the wind was blowing. The photographic billboards are cool, though I have to say that one of the things I love about Maine is that we do not have billboards (they are prohibited by law), making it possible to enjoy unobstructed views of the actual scenery - which is, of course, gorgeous. :-)
Oh, you are a brave soul, but I'll bet you'll love it. I don't ski and at 70 am not about to start now. (Snowshoeing is nice, though.)
We don't have fog here often, but when we do, I can't wait to throw on some clothes and head out (on foot) with my camera. There's a mysterious quality to the atmosphere of fog that I love. I also love your analogy to introversion and Harry Potter's Invisibility Cloak.
The only pattern I see in where my stuff comes from is that there's a story of some sort behind almost every piece, whether it's a family heirloom, an antique, or just a mass-produced item from a big box store. I do try to adhere to the William Morris quote and principle to "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." But I still have too much stuff. The winnowing process is never complete, but is always ongoing.
I guess the Amazon/Goodwill collaboration might be nice for people who live in remote areas. We have enough Goodwill locations and other collection boxes nearby that it's easy to drop things off while running other errands. I don't often order anything from Amazon that comes in a box, anyway - mostly just the occasional used book from one of their third-party sellers. I try to buy local as much as possible. Wishing you a very happy new year!
Happy holidays and a wonderful new year to you!
The Sally Mann book is already on my shelf, but I've added some of these others to my get-from-the-library list. The Hidden Life of Trees and Mortality both sound particularly good. (We had home hospice when my father was dying. It was an amazing experience and hospice made all the difference.)
Yes, thank you, this is what my daughter and I are instinctively doing. Grieving but looking for small comforts and distractions in the everyday-ness of living.
What a great question: "What else can I do that I didn't think I could do before?" I know that in my own life, I often hold back because of fear, and of a desire for perfection. And when I finally give in and try whatever it is, it usually turns out very well, if not quite perfect then at least more than acceptable. If only I could remember that when the next challenge comes up....! Good for you for believing in yourself and stepping out in that faith.
This is a lovely post, and yes, just the antidote needed to what's on the news these days. Not that I'd know, really, because I have stopped watching it. Thank you for the beautiful images and quotes to remind us of what life is truly about...or ought to be, anyway.
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seabluelee 
Medley