Monday, February 18, 2013

February’s Gift






Despite the snow…and intermittent, constant cold, there’s cause for optimism this time of year.

You can feel the sun gaining more and more strength every day.

The shadows are sharper, the light is warmer…even the colors are brighter.

Whew….

Cuz you never know.

I mean I assume the winter won’t last forever, but I also assume the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes people are going to be knocking on my door, any day now.

So it’s good to see signs.

You can’t count on the Robin’s…not anymore.  The Robins are here all year round, now. At least it seems that way. 

I came out on my back porch in January and there were about 12 of them jumping around on my lawn. I can’t be certain, but I think they were giving me the stink eye…as if to say, “What…you never saw a Robin before?”

Daffodil shoots, peeking out through the snow is a good sign.

As is the little bit of new red growth extending from the end of the maple tree’s branches.

On the days I’m able to sleep in, morning sunshine, angling high through the bedroom window is nice to wake up to.

On the days I’m not, the wait for the sky to brighten, is hardly a wait at all.

Best of the best, the evening sun hangs higher, lasting longer, every day, a little more than the last.

The western sky paints silhouettes of rooftops long into the evening; chimney smoke drifting into clouds.

Not quite on the homestretch to spring, but definitely on the backstretch, approaching the final turn.

Reasons to be optimistic…a gift…three quarters through February.





5 comments:

  1. And Daylight Savings starts in less than 3 weeks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. nice.. It's been so cold where I am this weekend that coats do no good, and I hear there's a half a foot f new snow at my real home.
    Here in the provinces North of Boston we're a long way from seeing shoots like these!

    ReplyDelete
  3. i always love seeing those first few signs of new beginnings...

    ReplyDelete
  4. It’s nice to see all the ladies checking in on the same day. I guess even just the talk of spring can do that.

    Can’t wait for daylight savings, although the late light puts a damper on my enthusiasm for sitting in front of the fire, reading in the early evening. I have so much more time to think about avoiding all the things I should be outside doing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. i completely agree, brian. there is something wonderful about hibernation and being inside by the fire.
    not to mention the drag of winter has inspired me to take this week off from running and trying to make it all work in the throws of madness.

    ReplyDelete

Retort to the Retort -

“Is there anybody alive out there…”