Friday,Jan 28- Late morning finds me listening to the music of the the rain falling as I paste up some cards.My mind stays busy with daydreams of seeds sprouting, and anticipating the taste of the first nettles that will soon be ready for picking. I've been noticing buds swelling on the Indian Plum that grows near the house, and along our daily walking route there are tiny ones forming on the Salmonberry vines. In the garden the chives have begun poking through the rain soaked soil, alongside the first emerging regrowth of sorrel leaves. I had the urge to crouch down and just take a bite ! Something about that happy green life-force. Does it sound like I've got spring fever? I know, I know, it's much too early.
Young garlic tips have also emerged, to my great relief. That long deep freeze we had in November had me worried since I never did get around to buying straw to mulch it. Twice now, I've heard frogs croaking, and it made me want to dance a jig. (Which in fact we did last weekend at a dear friend's wedding celebration which was a contra dancing EXTRAVAGANZA!) Perfect for shaking the mid winter doldrums.
Saturday Jan 29...Another very, very rainy day, and this time I never made it on my walk. I watched from inside the cozy house as the rain blew sideways, the trees swaying crazily in the wind.I spent most of the day adding new postings to my Etsy shop getting lost in the memories of dryer, sun filled days as I worked on writing descriptions for various designs.Recalling how the designs came about transported me back in time and space...bees buzzing, the smell of sun warmed soil, kneeling along the rows as we thinned and weeded, weeded and planted, the world growing smaller but so much larger as we moved along the rows. Always a relief to stand again and stretch, taking in the wide expanse of sky and surrounding vistas we never tire of admiring. Lucky us.
Jan 30, Sun
SUN! The wind started blowing yesterday late afternoon, and kept up all night and into today, sending the clouds away, but lowering the temps down to freezing. Our steps were noticeable quicker as we started our walk today, as tears blurred the brightness of the day, noses ran,& our faces grew ruddy. I did brave the elements just a while longer to snap a few shots of the aforementioned flora.
Time to get dinner started. Pulling some bird's eye beans from the freezer to stew along with kale and some locally made chicken sausage, and from our pantry, some winter squash to go with it. Perfect winter fare.
Wish you were here.