I can’t believe how fast the time is going. A little more than two weeks we will have reached winter officially and another thirteen weeks spring-officially anyway. It seemed as if Thanksgiving has just come and Christmas is less than three weeks away. Then New Year. I know every January and February we have at least one “freeze”. And those periods will seem forever. Before we know it the Farm Show will be here. And it invariably snows that week. There is always two periods of time. The Greek language described time at least two different ways. There will be the period where it flows forever. And then where everything happens in slow motion. All this at the same time.

Spring Was On its Way

Author: siggy

Spring was on its way.  I checked the bed of daffodils that come up every year and there were nubs coming up.  I never checked them so early during winter.  It was the last day of January.  Last time I looked the primrose were still blooming.  They like the cold.  We have had temperatures as low as 3 degrees in the morning so maybe the primrose finally died.  I am going to look.  Nevertheless, spring was still a bit off.  We have had snow but only minor storms.  It is still a bit to go.  The worst is not over.  Groundhog day is coming, though.

The temperature is all relative:  today it is forty-seven degrees.  Cool for a late April date.  Yet if we had the same temperature in December or January, it would have been considered a warm day.  It is all a matter of perspective (and our expectations).  The best thing is just to enjoy the weather no matter what it is and make the best of it.  You have no control of the weather.  You just adjust.  There is no other way.

There was a blanket of white when I got up.  It was a dusting–maybe an inch.  Through the back kitchen window I saw the ground and trees were completely white.  I immediately put some sunflower seed on my platform bird feeder and I am watching a brilliant red cardinal partaking of his meal.  This was the first snowfall of the season.  December and January have been mild so far–thirties and forties most of the time.  There has been no deep, extended “arctic” freeze so far.  I was delighted to see the snow.

The Juniata River has ice floes flowing throughout it. It has been two weeks since it turned cold. There would have to be an Arctic freeze (under twenty degrees everyday) for two or three weeks in a row for the surface of the river to become solid. We are not there yet. We will see: there is still January and February to go. Meanwhile our heating bills will remain high, nevertheless.

It is frigid outside:  the bank said seventeen degrees.  Spring can’t come fast enough.  About six weeks to go officially.  I am staying inside and enjoying our heated house.  I do not want parts of me to break off in this cold.  Or so it seems.  I am definitely putting on my gloves next time I go out.  It is just too cold today.  And February still has to come.  What a depressing thought.

Nothing extraordinary happened yet a series of events followed.  And they all mattered.  I was depressed.  I did not know why but I got my body moving and focused on things outside of me.

I did mundane things like feeding our dogs and cats and filling their water bowls.  I stepped out of the house briefly and realized it was an absolutely gorgeous day in January–forty-four degrees and I wanted to spend part of the day outside.

I scattered sunflower seed and regular bird seed on the ground.  I filled one bird feeder with sunflower seed.  I know I will stare out my living window and watch the antics of the birds during the day.

I did other tasks like taking out the trash.  The discovery of my new mittens which I had misplaced brought a smile to my face.  I reminded myself we had dinner in the refrigerator.  I made a pot roast last night and there was still plenty left over.

I was still depressed but I was physically moving which was a good thing.  Sometimes you just don’t know exactly why you are depressed but I know it will end.  I did not give in to it.  That was the important thing.  I don’t always understand my moods.

I Was Just Depressed

Author: siggy

I was just depressed.  The holidays were done.  It was January and the winter and cold were here to stay.  At least for three months.  My future prospects did not seem good.

I always wondered how it would be not to live in a temperate climate–something I have done all my life.  My nephew did his undergraduate work at Berkeley and once he had a taste of living in a climate where it does not get too cold, he wanted to go back.

I always wondered how it would be.  I have never been to California.  And never liked the cold although spring was always my favorite season.  I just wanted to get through another winter and it was just beginning and I was depressed by all that.  And did not know what to do but just to bear it and wear warmer clothing and stay in and somehow keep warm.