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Calling Upon a Storm

Jan 4 2022 | By: Marisa S White

Calling Upon a Storm

It’s that time of season. The close of one year and the start of another.

When I lived in Texas, dad would take me, along with my sister, to the House of Pies around Christmas time. Just the three of us. It was a tradition of ours. We’d order the sweetest thing on the menu, some hot chocolate and recall the past year. Accomplishments. Changes. Goals for the future. And with a sparkle and a gleam in his eye, the pride emanating from him wrapped us in the warmest of blankets.

Those were special times.

A closing of a chapter as we picked up another book to begin. Pages unwritten.

I think about this every year when the weather turns cooler and the holidays signal the ending of another year. I think of my Dad, as I sit with my hot chai tea and chocolate chip cookie pondering reflections of the last 12 months along with aspirations for the coming days.

Now that I'm older, I see the value of dream building and goal setting. I'm always pleasantly surprised, and slightly mystified, at how much I've accomplished and crossed off my dream list. There's something to this manifesting business. There's something to these moments of sharing aspirations with another...someone who loves you and encourages you to be the person you are becoming. 

So forever...I’m calling upon a storm. And I’m gonna reach for the stars...because stars don’t fall out of the sky – according to Ritchie Valens!

***

This piece has a bit of a dual meaning for me. Yes, it's about setting intentions and those wonderful memories with my father. But it's also about plans that my sister and I have for later in life as we drift into older age. For anyone who has seen Practical Magic, we've been putting it out there for years that we'll be together, with a thousand cats, making pottery and drinking mint juleps under big straw hats in the sun.  I'd be disappointed if I made it to the end of my days and didn't have this experience. I can see it perfectly in my head. It's good to have a friend...even better if one of your best friends is your sister.

 

 

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Behind the Scenes - Calling Upon a Storm

Unfortunately, I don’t have too many behind the scenes shots from this day. A whole group of us intended to get together for a day of shooting at Great Falls Park, but in the end, there were only two of us. The weather warmed to a balmy 50 degrees with the promise of rain. So it was a battle against time to photograph before Mother Nature decided to cleanse us with her good graces.

A big thank you to Tom Newforge for his assistance manning the shutter while I stood on a rock, barefooted, holding a tortilla warmer. Note to self: next time fill warmer with tortillas first!

 

 

 

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Feel free to share this newsletter with your art lover friends. Leave a comment. Drop me a line. Until next time.

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2 Comments

Oct 3, 2026, 11:10:48 AM

Marisa White - Ah, thank you. And Yes! Especially to the tortilla warmer!

There's something about the briskness of the cooler days is a beautiful reminder that everything is always in flux. Change is inevitable. And, we approach each new season anew staring into the face of possibilities.

Sep 15, 2026, 12:25:42 PM

Jane Morgan - Ahhhh I love this behind the scenes! The end result is so dang gorgeous, but there's something about feeling for your cold bare feet and the charm of tortilla holder as the fall delivery system. And I loved hearing about the family rituals and dreams. All so gorgeous!!!

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