Grounded, Revisited

the downward gaze & 'earthing' in snow

Barefoot in Snow, March 2026 Photograph by Lyn Swett Miller

Ice Energy flows.

Broken Ice on The Beach, March 2026 Photograph by Lyn Swett Miller

I settle with a downward gaze…

Boots in Puddle, March 2026 Photograph by Lyn Swett Miller

and find stability where I can…

River Layers Open March 7 & 11 Photographs by Lyn Swett Miller

because the ice broke this week.¹

Boots in Water, March 2026 Photograph by Lyn Swett Miller

Typologies appeal.

I photograph my feet.²

Ottauquechee River, March 5, 9, 10, 11 Photographs by Lyn Swett Miller

I Create the same photograph from the same perspective…again and again…and when what I see through the lens changes faster than I am comfortable with, I hold my gaze, stay steady, and adjust to meet the moment.

Boots on Ice, March 2026 Photograph by Lyn Swett Miller

And sometimes, I take off my boots, wiggle my toes and feel the earth beneath my feet, even through a layer of snow.

Feet Buried in Snow, March 2026 Photograph by Lyn Swett Miller

It is cold and wet.

My toes tingle.

And then, if lucky, I stand in melted ice, ‘earthing’ as best I can.³

Feet in Water on Bricks, March 2026 Photograph by Lyn Swett Miller

This may be my last chance…before it melts and gets too warm.⁴

Earthing in Snow, March 2026 Photographs by Lyn Swett Miller

As long as we stay connected - - to the earth and to each other - - we may be chilled, but we won’t be numbed into silence and retreat.

Feet in Studio, March 2026 Photograph by Lyn Swett Miller

So in the studio this morning, I took off my socks and put on ‘summer’ shoes.⁵

Lilly watches, inspiring me to smile, no matter the mood.

Studio Dog, March 2026 Photograph by Lyn Swett Miller

With gratitude for you showing up and being you,

Lyn

Lilly, March 11, 2026 Photograph by Lyn Swett Miller

Compost, March 2026 Photographs by Lyn Swett Miller

If you have any secret strategies for staying grounded when it feels like the earth beneath our feet is shifting too fast, please share them here!

Earthy Moments 2026 Photographs by Lyn Swett Miller

1. War unsettles me when it is not something our elected representatives have discussed. Discussion is at the heart of a republic…for which it stands.

2. In my original Grounded post in November 2023, I share how a downward gaze connects me to place and to all those who have walked whatever path I may be on long before me.

3. In my November 2, 2023 post, Grounded, I wrote the following: Grounded is also another name for something called “earthing.” This idea feels particularly relevant now, as I’ve been exploring the elements this year as part of my Kinship Photography practice, and we have been focusing on Earth since the winter solstice in December. Between walking on Lava in Hawaii and running through the snow in Vermont last week, I feel as if I’ve had some glorious invitations ‘to earth.’

Here’s the definition for earthing from the Grounded website:

“Also known as “Earthing,” grounding is the process of connecting with Earth’s natural electromagnetic energy, which is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that helps balance our nervous system activity.”

4. In the midst of too high summer heat, I will long for this chilling sensation.

5. I would love to walk around barefoot in my studio, but with the uneven floors and potential for splinters and broken bits of this and that, it’s safer to wear my Birkenstock “summer shoes.”