Winter Blues

I don't live in Boston.  I'm a southern girl.  That's why I can honestly say I am mourning the passing of winter.  Sleeping in under quilts so heavy it's hard to turn over.  Scarves and hats to hide bad hair days and sagging necks.  Crackling fires in coffee shops, where we turn our chairs to avoid the draft from the door and customers keep their coats on just a little longer.

Hearty stews and soups simmer in crockpots all day, their scent like perfume, sticks to my sweater.  Anything baking in the oven, invites warmth and winter appetites.  Carbs are a staple at every meal.

Trees bare their souls, majestic and strong against winter skies, donning the occasional white for a striking silhouette.

Snow in the south causes pause.  Everything shuts down.  We slow down.  Yes, even more. We have to stop and enjoy this white magic, because its visits are rare and quick.  Walks in white powder. Snow quiet.  Nothing like it.  Houses and yards covered in  white frosting, hiding dead gardens and stained roofs. Books and coffee welcome us under blankets inside.

Tomorrow is the first day of spring.  I can't stop it or change it.  Birds are nesting.  Daffodils are blooming.  I like spring too, but in the south, summer chases it away much too quickly.

So Boston, while you welcome the slow melt of parking lot glaciers, I'll mourn winter.  Maybe I'll have to fire up the grill, brew some iced tea and watch the trees bud to chase my blues.
 Now....for just a little while.

When was the last time you did something for the very first time. 
    - A quote seen on a pillow

The above message inspired me on many levels.  When I saw this pillow, my mind immediately went to a train ride on the Orient Express, base camp at Mount Everest, a villa in Tuscany, or going on safari in Africa.  All these premiers sound exciting, fresh, compelling.  But there are so many other firsts that can be experienced right now.  Just as I am.

Starlight, star bright, the first star I see tonight. Twinkling and true. Full of promise. The first snowfall of winter.  Gentle feathered white fluff covering the last colors of autumn.  The first daffodil bloom of spring.  Yellow sunshine rising from the winter landscape.

Although an event may not be my first ever, I can always view it with a new appreciation. Spotting a dolphin arcing through an ocean wave or catching a glimpse of a deer in the woods always takes my breath away.  Every single time is just as amazing as the very first time.

I'm not afraid to try new things.  A new hairstyle, a fresh recipe, learning a new skill, taking a class, or just trying a different coffee or shampoo provide many firsts for me.  I love going to movies, good or bad, it's still a first.  I enjoy exploring books, new authors, new bands, travelling to new places.

Trying new things has given me an expanded appreciation of my personal landscape.  Through differences I see newness.  Firsts.  I am blessed by all the firsts in my life. I hope for many more.  Like a kid, I want to go out of my way to find a puddle to splash in, a pile of snow to crunch through. Trusting.  Exploring, as if for the first time.  Knowing that my feet won't always be wet or cold.  Now...for just a little while.