Among the Trees: Sunshine & Hope

Most of January was damp and cold.  We had a smidge of snow - enough to earn a snow day - but mostly we had endless grey skies and rain.  I find January is a bleak month anyway, what with its late sunrises and early sunsets, but add in gloomy grey skies and my growing hip discomfort and the month had little to recommend it.  February was less than 48 hours old when it delivered blue skies and sunshine.  Though the cold persisted - it’s still Winter - the sun was welcome.  It’s also true that our days are lengthening, with an extra minute of sunlight morning and night and that helps.  Normally, Winter walks sustain my soul but my temporary disability has robbed me of that comfort.  On Saturday, when I could sit out in the back deck and turn my face to the sunlight, for a still-chilly 30 minutes, I felt hopeful.  I’m two weeks away from surgery and I am so ready for the return of walks in the woods.  Until then, I've had some sunlight and it was glorious.

Style Journal: Soft Nightgowns

As the weather begins to cool, my need for cozy nightwear grows.  In keeping with my preference to never wear pants, I am not the pajama type.  But I love a nightgown.  When I was a little girl, my grandma would give me a Lanz flannel nightgown for Christmas.  They had ruffles and pretty prints and I loved them.  Though I still have a soft spot for flannel, the idea of sleeping in flannel makes me sweat.  These days, I love Lands End long-sleeved cotton nightgowns.  They are soft and cozy, and each year has at least a few prints that I like.  I especially like small prints and my current favorite has all the trappings of a cozy morning.  

The nightgowns wash like a dream.  Just the thought of putting mine on at the end of a busy day makes me happy.  Here’s to feeling cozy.

Among the Trees: The Bare Branch Season

There comes a point in November - we aren’t quite there yet, but I can sense it in the air - when suddenly, all the leaves are gone.  I’ll notice it first on my drive home from school.  Then I’ll see it at twilight from the living room.  It’s a hard transition for me.  Though I know that the stark Winter season of rest is the only way for the re-birth of Spring, I’m never quite ready to say goodbye to the fully-leafed trees.  This year, Winter is harder to embrace because of my current mobility limits, which are made harder by the cold.  Usually, the twinkling lights of December will help me to embrace Winter.  I’m hopeful that will be the case this year as well.  

Among the Trees: Natirar

To date, we’ve not had snow this Winter.  January brought a lot of cloudy gray days, but the cold hasn’t really been unbearable.  After all, it’s Winter and that means cold weather.  Rain has replaced the snow and when I took a walk in the woods at Natirar Park last weekend, the effects of the rain could be seen in the full stream that runs through the park. 

The sound of a busy little stream while I walk in the woods is one of the nicer parts of life in New Jersey, a balm as I wait out the cold and live in hope for the first signs of Spring.

In the Winter Woods

I can never get enough of being outside and in all seasons, I like to go for a walk in the gardens of Colonial Park.  The gardens stretch along the D&R Canal, with open fields and a trail that offers plenty to see.  There are lots of other places I like to go for a walk, but this place is my favorite and offers enough variety that I never seem to tire of it.

My favorite seasons are Spring and Fall, because everything is changing and because the weather is often mild enough for me to be outside for hours, walking and then reading and resting on one of the many benches in the gardens and lawns.  Winter is trickier because sitting outside is less comfortable but I am cold-hearty enough for a good long walk.  

This past weekend, I took my walks in the mid-afternoon, when the sun was high. 

 

In the Summer, the trail is mostly shaded and offers a cool respite from the heat.  But the weekend was cold and the sun was lovely on the trail, shining through the limbs of trees now bare of leaves.  

Though it’s just mid-January and there is plenty of Winter left on the calendar, I’m already turning my imagination toward the Spring, with its fresh blooms and hopeful promise. It’s nice to look forward.

Among the Trees: Winter Sunsets

Lately, I’ve been reading about stargazing and I came across an article that explained why Winter sunsets are so beautiful.  It has to do with the arc of the sunset as compared to the position of North America relative to the sun in Winter months.  There was plenty more science in the explanation but the real take-away for me was a reminder to check out the sky at twilight.  We’ve had some lovely sunsets of late and pictures hardly do it justice, though this one will have to do. 

As I wait for the sunlight in our days to truly lengthen, the daily sunset is my welcome companion for the Winter.  It isn’t always be lovely to behold but that’s okay, because the daily sunset is a reminder to stop and look for the beauty around me.  That’s happy at any time of year.

Brrrr

We are smack dab in the middle of Winter right now and last week’s storm made this clear.  The snow was pretty and the light at sunset was splendid.

This Winter has seemed darker than usual and so I turn to familiar comforts.  Bright colors and stripes are lined up in my closet.  My cozy red flower hat helps to keep my eyes on the prize.  

Living in floral hope around here.

February 1 Flowers

 If there is one truth in my world, it's that flowers make everything better.  To say so long to the struggles of January, I brought home some pink tulips.

That's happy.

Amaryllis Tuesday: February 16

Over the last few days, the first three flowers have emerged on my plant and the pink and white striped flowers are lovely when they greet me in the morning.

All of our yards are filled with snow; overnight there was rain (happily, it was too warm for ice or snow) and its flowing in the streets because it cannot sink into the ground.  Another Winter snowstorm is forecast for this week....February isn’t planning an easy departure.  But for all of that, these flowers symbolize hope and today I hear that message load and clear.

February Front Porch

The colossal winter storm that ushered in February and then dumped more snow less than a week later slowed my porch set up for the month.  But once the snow was shoveled off the porch, I got to work.  There is a seasonal flag.

The table has a Valentine covering, the pot of hardy ivy, and a pinecone home for the fairies to stay warm while we all wait for Spring.  I had hoped to exchange the “hope” plant stake for one that reads “love” but the soil in the pot was too frozen for that swap out so we’ll have to stick with hope.  Given my longing for Spring, hope might be in order.

There is a cheery wreath for the front door.

February is the last full month month of Winter and in my mind March 1’s meteorological Spring is as good as the real thing.  The snow is piled over 2 feet high, however, so though I am prepared to call the end of the season, I suspect plenty of snow will linger into March.  Mother Nature has no less than three Water storms forecast for the next 7 days, so she clearly hasn’t received my memo.

Amaryllis Tuesday: February 9

This flower is a bright spot in the midst of my cold and snowy February and I am grateful for its daily reminder to keep the faith.

It’s been planted for 6 weeks and a flower is nearing.  I’m cheering for you, splendid flower.

Enough, Already

On the heels of digging out from nearly 3 feet of snow, another storm blew in yesterday.  The good news: it wasn’t 3 feet.  The bad news: it was 8 inches.  A pretty 8 inches of snow, but 8 inches nonetheless, with cold temperatures on its heels.  Our average yearly snowfall in New Jersey is 29 inches.  In two storms, my corner of the state has gotten 38 inches.  

The birds were glad that the feeder was full.

This time around, the snow blower could handle the challenge a little better.  I am always ready for Spring blooms and the practically giddy ease of Summer.  This year, Winter is determined to be sure that I appreciate my blessings when the warm days arrive.  In the meantime, yesterday's post-storm blue sky will have to suffice.

Old Man Tree: February 1

We are starting February with a major snowstorm.  It started last night and is expected to continue through today and into Tuesday morning.  When I got up this morning, there was an easy 8 inches on the ground.  

The light and snow makes it hard to make out the face on Old Man Tree, but he is there watching quietly over all the birds and squirrels in the yard.

As of this writing, now Monday afternoon, the forecast calls for 20 inches to fall before this storm is over.  At the current rate, I’ll be glad if it’s only 20 inches.  Up to this storm, we’ve had a mild Winter but it would seem we are making up for it in the last full month of Winter.

Amaryllis Tuesday: January 26

As I wait out the days of my quarantine, it seems fitting that the amaryllis waits with me, each of us marking the day with a bit more daylight to soak up.  

The morning sunlight in this window is good for all the growing things and some days I stand here to soak it all in.

By the end of this week, we’ll be gaining an extra minute of daylight in the morning and the evening and I find that though tespecially cheering.  I expect that the amaryllis feels the same way.  

Amaryllis Tuesday: January 12

January has proven itself to be full of events and in the midst of all that, I nearly lost sight of the weekly amaryllis photo.  But here is my bulb showing a bit of a green stem if you look closely.

The purpose of this flower bulb is to mark the cold, dark months of the Winter, as I look eagerly toward the light and then warmth of Spring.  When I’ve greeted the bulb each morning in the last few days I have also thought about the fact that each day’s growth places us just a tiny bit closer to the arrival of Inauguration Day and the swearing-in of a competent and capable set of leaders.  I am ready.  The nation is ready.  It’s been a long, long wait and the amaryllis reminds me to hold fast to the promise of the future.

Your Weekly Amaryllis: January 5

Just one week in to its planting, the amaryllis is still getting used to its pot.  There is probably a metaphor in that information but I’m busily gearing up for a return to teaching and so it will take me a bit to make sense of it all.

I have Zoom meetings today and then remote learning classes for the rest of the week.  On January 11, we return to our hybrid model of learning and I’ll see half of my students on campus for the week.  The time off has been restful and good.  It was a much needed break in this pandemic school year.  I return ready to learn with my students and to chart a path forward in this year of years.  In the coming weeks, the amaryllis will help to cheer me on.

Frontyard Flowerbed in December

Winter has taken hold around here, as it was bound to do,  and the flowerbed has been cleaned out for the season.  While I did that, I planted a couple dozen bulbs.

I’ve a lot riding on the Spring of 2021: actual leadership in this nation, prospects of a vaccine to fight this horrible pandemic, the usual joys of longer days and warmth.  And now we’ll have some extra crocus, daffodil, and tulip flowers to admire.  That's happy!

Front Porch in February

Much to T’s dismay, the garden around Sassafras House is covered in ivy.  At various points, I do try to limit the ivy but that’s only under duress (it’s climbing over a window or choking a hosta plant).  Not so secretly, I love ivy.  This Winter, I left a pot of ivy out on the porch.  The hearty ivy is holding its own and is the center of the February front porch table.

Hearts are the theme, of course.  The tablecloth is new, a Christmas gift from my mom.

The polka dot ribbon on the front door wreath makes me happy; polka dots always do.

The flag is cheerful, which befits the sunny day that started our month.

With 29 days to its name, I am happy that the last full month of Winter has made its arrival.  This month is JT’s birthday and memories of the day he was born are always nice to recall.  March (and Spring!) feels as if they are just around the corner, because they are.  That’s happy!

Front Yard Flowerbed in February

Normally, the February garden report is filled with words about Winter’s stillness.  From this view, Winter is in full control in this picture — the sky is low and grey, other than the ivy and moss, nothing else seems to be growing.  It looks cold outside. 

But when I scouted up close, there is promise to be seen.

Daffodils!  The tips of the slender stems are just peaking through this mess of a flowerbed.  I am best pleased by this happy development and now I will obsessively check the flowerbed to monitor the progress.

Though its been a mostly mild Winter, I am still excited for the coming Spring.  Monday’s forecast calls for a sunny day with temps above 55 degrees and I hope there will be enough after-school sunlight for me to do some cleaning out of this flowerbed.  That will make space for the other flowers and plants to come and sustain my already busy Spring daydreaming.  This short month is all that stands between me and full-flown Spring madness.  

Your Weekly Amaryllis - Week Two

Sitting amongst the plants in a southern facing window has been a good arrangement for the amaryllis, which is coming along nicely.

Some years, it takes more than a few weeks for progress to show itself and I end up fretting abut the plant on a daily basis.  This year’s amaryllis bulb has quite kindly gotten after the job at hand so that my frets are at a minimum.  That’s happy!