Winter Candles

On December 1st I put single candles in our windows.

This is all we do for "Christmas Lights",

heavily influenced by living in the East

where the tradition is rampant.

I'm always excited and anxious to put our candles in the windows.

I love how simple they look.

I love what they represent

("We'll leave a candle burning in the window for you.")

Many years ago I decided that I would leave these candles in the windows

all winter long.

They became my Winter Candles.

They came to represent a warm invitation to all

on the long, cold winter nights we have here.

And tonight?

Well, tonight is the last time they will burn in our windows

for this winter season.

Because tomorrow it will be March.

And even though the snow will still be here tomorrow night

my candles will not

because the Winter months will be over

(don't anyone get technical with me on this).

I'm always excited for December 1st

and the plugging in of the candles.

And I'm always excited for March 1st

when I welcome the season of Spring.

Slow Drip

We have been growing an icicle from our front porch for about a month now.

We warmed up in January to the 20's for a few days and it was enough to start the snow a-melting from the roof. We knocked off all the other icicles, but left this one because it is so curious. It had little prongs at the end:

We've had warmer days and then it gets shiver-cold again and then it warms up and then gets cold. By warmer, you do understand I mean temperatures in the 20's, right? And the shiver-cold thing is when we hover around 0* or go lower than zero. Much. Lower.

And then sometimes the wind blows and see how it caused a curve in the icicle? Pretty neat.

We're curious to see how long it will get. Will it reach the snow below?

I remember as a kid, living in Massachusetts and New Jersey, we'd break off icicles and have sword fights with them. Kind of dangerous as I think about it from a Mom's view.

"So. Whadaryadoin' this winter?"

"Oh, we're just watching our icicle grow."

"Oh."

**********************************************

On The Road To Spring:

Temp. this morning at 8:00 AM when I took Jake to school: 5*

Above zero!

How Now, January?

Inspired by a post yesterday by Louise Plummer on The Apron Stage I gave more thought about how I get through the months of January and February. As I get older those months do get harder (because I'm no longer so keen on going sledding in 12* weather? And 12* can be downright warm around here some winters).

On Wednesday we had a full-on-all-day-long snow day. It was lovely. It was cozy. I got to shovel a LOT (which is my favorite winter past time, evidently). But I missed the sun.

Three years ago, the year the city water pipe to our house froze on January 17th and we had to run a hose from our neighbor's house to our house so that we could have running water until the pipe thawed in April (I am not kidding you), I said, "ENOUGH!". And I planned a family trip to Hawaii. And we went in April, just a few days after the pipe thawed.

Planning a trip to Hawaii was an effective, although expensive, way to get through January and February.

I realized that this January has kind of flown by for me because I've been taking a couple of on-line classes which have caused me to be über-focused. I sit at my desk in my art room with the sun streaming through the window, and learn and work and create. In the afternoon I get full-on sun blinding me. It feels great.

And when I need to pause and let my brain relax, I have a beautiful view of the golf course dressed for Winter. And I remember what the Spring and Summer dresses look like and that is a happy thought.

Lately I've been saying to Jake and Abbie: "January is almost over! And then it will be February. And in February we can say 'Next month it will be Spring!' "

When I am at the point where I'm able to say that "next month it will be Spring" I am on the home stretch and it feels like I've got it in the bag.

Here's to getting through January and February in Utah [clink].

HEY!!

So, tell me what's going on here?

What's the deal?

You know what this is?

This is snow.

SNOW!!

What's this all about?

I know it is still early February

and technically it is winter.

Well, not technically.

It IS winter.

But we have been having a spring melt.

We've been outside with just jackets.

The temperature has been in the high 30's,

sometimes in the 40's.

And tonight? Snow.

I'm thinking that Punxsutawney Phil

must have known what he was doing...

I was kinda hoping he wasn't right.

It's February!

Next month will be

Spring!!!

Yippee!!!

What Did You Do?

Oh,

what did you do in the Summertime,

when all the world was green?

Did you fish in a stream,

or lazily dream

on the banks as the clouds went by?

Is that what you did?

So did I.

Oh,

what did you do in the Summertime,

when all the world was green?

Did you swim in a pool

to keep yourself cool,

or swing in a tree up high?

Is that what you did?

So did I.

Oh,

what did you do in the Summertime

when all the world was green?

Did you march in parades

or

drink lemonades

or

count all the stars in the sky?

Is that what you did?

SO DID I!!!!

And we will again.

This is one of my favorite songs.

I sing it this way with the Primary children

every winter,

in the coldest part of winter.

Just for fun.

Let There Be Light

May I just take a moment here

to say

that at 5:53 PM

there was

STILL

this much light

in the western sky:

This is a horrible picture.

I stepped outside

into the cold

and snapped the picture.

My intent was to show

the light

not have a focused picture!

The point is

the days are getting longer!

This is why I love to celebrate

the Winter Solstice.

It's Over

It is over.

Our Winter winning streak has ended.

We haven't been sick for two winters.

Not a fever, nor a chill, nor a vomit.

No more.

Poor, poor Nick.

I cannot believe we were dragging him all over San Diego

and he was feeling like this for so much of the time.

Now I understand why he didn't feel like kayaking.

Now I understand why he'd lay in his bed wrapped in a blanket

as often as possible.

He never really complained.

He'd just ask if we had any Motrin. Or something.

Sadly, he shared with us,

which is bound to happen when in close contact for so much time.

And once we got back to Utah

(that darn airplane air didn't help)

Doug and I were hit hard.

Now Abbie has it.

Jake claims that the time he spends at the high school,

with all those germs,

has inoculated him.

We'll see.

These are our new best friends:

Some of this is leftover from our Costco run to get stuff for Nick.

Glad we have it now.

Our trusty humidifier has been cranked up non-stop...

And this is pretty much where I've been living,

and Doug when he can...

The t.p. roll?

We've run out of tissues.

It works.

Doug had to go to work today.

He told me to be prepared for him to crash when he gets home tonight.

I'll let him do that. No problem.

I suspect, that since it was 1* today

at 3:00 PM

when I went to pick Jake up from school

it is only going to get colder

as the suns fades.

Last night was -15*.

So I think we'll all just hunker down early tonight

with our favorite pharmaceuticals

for a deep Winter's sleep.

The Thing To Do

Now, imagine, you're a 9 year old girl raised with four older brothers and a Dad who loves to go adventuring in the outdoors. On the first day of Christmas vacation the snow falls and continues to fall. All. Day. Long.

All your girl friends don't seems to enjoy being out in the snow and cold as much as you do. And the kids who live just a house away are ALL BOYS. But that is SO not an issue.

The issue is that 1) there is snow, 2) there is a hill, 3) there is fun to be had.

And if you are my Abbie, you go for the fun, even if you are the only girl.

The only speck of pink on a hill of non-pink.

And while the boys are SLEDDING and TUBING, Abbie does the SNOWBOARD thing...

with style

even when she falls.

I was actually parked kind of far away and used my zoom lens to get closer shots. I could tell everyone was having a pretty good time.

Our neighbor, the one with all the boys, has a good system for the trek to and fro.

And here comes my girl...

trudging through the snow...

happy to see me with the truck...

which means she gets a RIDE home!

Usually she has to walk.

Because You Wanted To See

Yesterday we were WALLOPED with snow!
Lots and lots of snow.

I was looking out the window at our bird bath in the back yard
and saw how much snow was on it
and decided to photograph our yard
under the blanket of snow.

And this is just the beginning of the snow season!

So, our bird bath...

Our little bench...

The fence we share with our neighbor
and the raspberries along side.
Will they survive?
Were we supposed to "do" anything to them for winter?

One of our trees, just because the branches are so twisted around...

Our wood pile stacked against the garage wall.
Wait a minute, we only have gas-burning stoves.
Well, someday we might have a wood burning stove, and when we do,
we'll have wood.

(This wood is actually from our trees that we had trimmed last year and I wanted to keep the wood.)

Our crazy dog, Luther, having fun in the snow...

The snow filling up the bushes and making them droop...

Abbie's swing looking very forlorn...

The snowy view looking up our street...

And that, my friends, is what it looks like around here!

On A Winter's Night

Today

is the

Winter Solstice,

the shortest day

of the year.

About 13 years ago we started a tradition
that became one of our favorite things.

We acknowledged our pagan roots (!)
and started celebrating the
Winter Solstice.

Our first celebration was
a night time ice skating party
on a pond
with a bunch of friends
and their kiddos.

There was a little cabin we could go in
with a fire in the stove
so we could warm up.

And a big bon fire
by the pond.
I also set
luminaries around the pond
for effect.

We had chili
and hot chocolate
and celebrated the arrival
of Winter.

It was a lot of fun.

We've done different celebrations through the years.
Sometimes we've invited people over
to participate in
musical performances
or readings and recitations
but it was all about
Winter
not Christmas.

And we've gone back
to the pond
a time or two.

To celebrate Winter's arrival today
Doug made crepes!!

A few years ago
he gifted himself with a
fancy-dancy
crepe maker
and every now and again
will thrill us
with his crepes.

Here Abbie is getting a lesson
on how to flip
the crepe.

Here Jake's eyeballs
are getting ready
to roll into
the back of his head.

Doug discovered
a new filling today:
cream cheese
and
apricot preserves.
Yum.

But nothing can beat
good, 'ol
Nutella.

Crepe chocolate fest...
a good way to welcome
Winter.

In my quest
to make peace with
the long, bitter cold
Winter
we have here
I went on a short
Winter Walk
with our dog,
Luther.

It really is beautiful
to be out in the
crisp, cold air.

My night-time
Winter photos
look spooky,
but it wasn't.

As I walked
I hummed in my head
a favorite song:

Loreena McKennitt's version of Good King Wenceslas.

She always helps me connect
with my Celtic blood.

Happy Winter!

Tomorrow the daylight
IS LONGER!!