these february days

What an odd winter we are having here in Vermont. The actual temperature at our house on Valentine's Day was -22, with a wind chill of -29. We know this because Batman got a weather station for Christmas this year, and we keep a sharp eye on the information it tracks. According to the "eye on the sky" guys, the following 48 hours had some of the most changeable temperatures on the record books, with the high temperatures nearing 50 degrees on Tuesday. 

We have not had much snow at all, and more days are temperate than not.  Some folks are very happy about these conditions, calling it a mild winter.

But I've got to tell you, I am uncomfortable and disconcerted. And worried. My mammal self is suspicious of what is going on with Mother Nature. 

So I meditate.

And I hang freshly washed laundry on wooden racks to dry.

And I plant seeds to sprout for salads on the windowsills (more about that later this week).

And I look for helpful projects, like this "draft dodger" (above) I stitched to keep the cold from creeping in under our lovely old wooden entry door. The door is not energy efficient, but it is a beautiful element from the original house and we decided to keep it. I sewed up a tube from some heavy chambray leftover from another project, filled it with dried beans, sewed up the end and snugged it up against the threshold. Bye bye draft.

Expanding our circle of friends has been rewarding and cheering. Finding like-minded folks who share our concerns about some of the challenges in life helps ease some of them. Brainstorming, story telling, comparing notes and laughing can brighten any winter meal. Last week, homemade challah bread (and butter) came through the door and brought neighborliness right to the table.

Intention.

Being present.

Finding beauty in the everyday.

Hope.

Gratitude.

Survival.

xo