he quote below is well-known. However, how often do you see the *whole* quote? I thought not; me neither. But in reading and rereading it, I like the subsequent sentences at least as much, if not more, than the first:
"In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger--something better, pushing right back."-Albert Camus, The Stranger
I am banking on the invincible summer being within me today, how about you? Push back, people! Spring will come. Eventually.
keep my scarf on, in the house. I grocery shop with my mittens on. The car never warms up enough on the drive to and from work. Yesterday was foggy all day, with these teensie little snowflakes... or was that freezing fog? I'm grumpy.
Yes, it's January. Well and truly past the holidays, but spring feels so so far away. Time to dream of tropical vacations, short sleeves, skirts without tights, open-toe shoes. At the very least, have lunch with a friend who just returned from a tropical vacation and (not) think stabby jealous thoughts the whole time you're with her. I may be grumpy, but I'm evolved. Evolved grumpy.
I am also needing, desperately, to break my blogging slump. I'm feeling caught in these busy weeks with the only must-write posts being the Friday gratefulness moments. Somehow I have a deal with myself regarding those. Must. Happen. Seriously. I don't want to overstate it, but if you don't see a post when you wake up Saturday morning (because I know you, you look, yes you do, thank you very much dear reader), give husband a call. Order flowers. Come visit the hospital. Well, check visiting hours first, but do order the flowers.
So here's my stab at a not-Friday-night post, whooo! Thirteen things that help cut my winter chill.
1. Seed catalogs! The promise of spring, and sprouting little plants and warm earth makes me very happy. I don't think about August and the weeds, just the happy spring planting times!
2. Looking at my Instagram feed from summer months. Color and warmth.
3. Pinterest. Run a search for "sunshine" or "yellow" or "babies." You will smile with the results.
4. Laughter. Just a big old gut bust. Get it where you can. Tonight for me there was a line from Modern Family: "Please don't turn my marrying my daughter into something ugly." Hilarious. (I know, you need context. Trust me.)
5. Music. The Christmas music is long gone; I'm usually done with that by the day of Christmas, easily. Now is the time to get on the upbeat new music, and luckily my dear music friend Jen has provided a lovely sampling for the new year, which I'm able to listen to as I come and go in the car. Happy music is a great way to cut the fog.
6. Pomegranates and grapefruit (not necessarily together, but that can work too). Two winter fruits that I only get to enjoy for a short season, so I REALLY enjoy them. As in, most days I will have one or the other. And my favorite method for hacking a pom? Check it out:
7. Lights. OK, here's where I confess that the Christmas tree is still up. (Husband is embarrassed, a bit, by this turn of events, but I just haven't been very motivated to take it down. I have a feeling this coming weekend will be the golden moment...) Aside from Christmas lights, I'm a big fan of all lights (more or less--flourescent, well, they're not on anyone's love list, are they?)--candles, SAD lights, a little strand of twinkle lights to cut the cold...
8. My Uggy boots. Soft and white and I always warm up when I'm wearing them.
9. Hot chocolate. I have not made nearly enough hot chocolate so far this winter... must work on this!
10. Read recipe books with summer recipes, and fantasize about summer cooking. I can't wait to make summer salads and cobblers and fresh vegetables sautes, straight from the garden.
11. Hot baths. There are times when only a hot bath will warm me all the way up. Glorious!
12. My house uniform... I guess the Uggs could fall under this, but they are truly their own separate warmth generator. For me, coming home and getting into my comfy pants, long-sleeved T shirt and '70s-style tie-wrap sweater is just so rejuvenating at the end of the day. I know, odd to use the word rejuvenating when talking about the end of the day, and relaxing, but it really does give me a second wind to change my clothes and make the transition into the evening. On those rare occasions where I hop right into making dinner and don't take the time to change, my whole evening is less relaxing.
13. Color. Anywhere, anytime. Wandering a fabric store, popping into the flower shop, even browsing spring clothing--though that can be somewhat depressing if I then have to go back and warm my car up to get home... maybe that one should be online only!
What helps you break the winter chill? Tell me. I'm always up for new ideas!
We have lots of birds right now in the feeders outside the living room window. They are happy and chirpy and I love that we feed them.
Who has to snuffle around in the snow and get cold? Bad Dog Ruby, that's who. She's sweet and loves the snow like the crazy dog that she is, but doesn't really know when it's time to come in and get warm. Doesn't she just look so huggable, though? She really is, in spite of her bad dog ways...
Chief, looking like a prison dog there behind the wire... he was watching me come in from a little xcountry ski jaunt this afternoon...
I don't know if you can tell what this is, it didn't photograph well, but all over the fields there are these patches where hawks have come down into the snow to grab some rodent or something, and there are beautiful marks where the claws scrape the snow before the big grab. Anyway, it seemed picture-worthy at the time, made me wish for better photography skills... but I wish that most days anyway.
There's an idea of how much snow we've gotten. This sweet and wonderful birdbath was a gift from Corinne five years ago. I remember it showed up on a very particular day (sadness and joy, and the slightest glint of possibility for romance...) for me (Dec. 18, also sweet Lucy's day of birth), and it has meant a great deal to me over the years to look at that birdbath and think of our dear friendship.
He may look like he's guarding the property, but what Chief is really doing is watching the sheep at the neighbor's place. He turned his head back for me at just the right moment.
This is how the day started (once again). Thankfully not how it ended--there was some spectacular sunshine for about an hour this afternoon before we went straight to pitch blackness.
Maybe tomorrow we'll see the sun for a bit longer, but right now that seems unlikely. A little Eeyore with your tea? Possibly. Time to take some happy pills. Or, nail down those holiday menus for upcoming parties.
Either way, outlook is bound to improve. I'll be back when mood elevators take effect.
he quote below is well-known. However, how often do you see the *whole* quote? I thought not; me neither. But in reading and rereading it, I like the subsequent sentences at least as much, if not more, than the first:
keep my scarf on, in the house. I grocery shop with my mittens on. The car never warms up enough on the drive to and from work. Yesterday was foggy all day, with these teensie little snowflakes... or was that freezing fog? I'm grumpy.
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