Lots of history here in Lienz for our team. With Sarahs last race and Mikaelas first podium and my first points finally on the hill that took me 4 years to get back to its a lot of emotion. Lots of energy, good energy. Was so nice to have a few days hiking in Lienz and playing at home enjoying Sarahs last race with her and the boys. Sad but lots of good things to come so I feel like its a moment to start getting excited for the future. To enjoy the moment now and smile and laugh and love with your friends and family.
photos Kevin Pritchard
Dark desolate atmosphere, dreary black ice covering the dirt road, summer frozen beneath it, preserved. Twirls of snow with magical force, a white so white so perfect in every drop of a snowflake, a snowy cozy world, a land far away from everything else so far from the sandy beaches so far from green and blue and sun. Where candles burn and wool socks warm and tea is served with pleasure. Twinkling lights and sweaters, feather beds, books stacked high, coloring pencils and scissors, water dripping from jackets that hang in the hall. The bath water is pouring out as you unwind from a lazy snowy day high in the French Alps. Annapurna is our cozy fortress in the sky. We go to bed with tummies full of spices, cheese and rich food, christmas is in every corner, fires blaze. The weather outside whips around leaving us to peacefully fall asleep cuddled in our beds. To dreamland we drift waiting for the morning light to see what brightness it may bring us, or just more beautiful desolate dreary lovely perfect winter weather that we love so dearly.
Oh man did I need a week off. Over a month in Colorado training straight into the season, ending with 7 days of racing was a bit much for me. It was a great wake up call and a good push to get back into things. I am happy with bits and pieces of the racing. Since I haven’t done a lot of racing of late, I am happy I was mentally pushed into racing day after day to jump start myself. GS feels like freedom to me, Its amazing. Its truly what skiing is to me. I enjoy it so much. All in all I am very happy with how things got started. I do have a fire lit with in since I didn’t do what I wanted in the Aspen world cups but I think its always best to end motivated for the next events instead of just totally satisfied… or at least I keep telling myself that. 
As for my week off, I am enjoying the cabin with all my stuff put away, sleeping in my bed, having things hung up in closet for more than two days, Christmas stockings out and lights being hung. The breathless drops of snowflakes that accumulate, date nights at Stiegler’s, tea and reading by the fire, checking in on my awesome teammates rip up the weekend! Figuring out how to grow my hair even longer with out cutting it! Feathers and bones, leaves and design, trying for a new art piece. Chopping wood, snow blowing the road, family ski days, painting and trying to make sure the house is at an appropriate temperature… not to cold not to warm. If you have ever been over to my house you will understand this is my life mission! I already know I need to do some more chinking in the spring, I can’ feel some drafts!
Photos from Tumblr.com
