contemplating February...



Fluttering prints of wings captured in the snow.

February...a strong wind is whistling around this old house, and although the sun is shining brightly (fooling us into thinking it's possibly warmer than the thermometer reads), it does little to chase away the cold.

As the wind rattles the roof and slips in through every nook and cranny it can find, it almost sounds as if the entire house will set sail...of course it never does. It stands strong...fighting against the howling wind and staying firmly anchored as it's done for 150 years. On days like this, it's blissful to be inside.

However; I find myself bundled up (Carhartt chic!) and ready to head into the chill. The weatherman calls for 6 to 10 inches of snow tomorrow evening, so it's a good idea to carry wood from the barn and refill the wood rack. The past few weeks of extreme cold have significantly lowered the logs kept close at hand. It's also a good time to completely fill hay racks, tote buckets of water, and rake straw bedding for the goats and chickens. Anything that can be done now, will save time later when the drifts make walking to the barns and opening doors difficult.

And while it may seem bleak, February offers the richness of any other month. Still, cold days when the air is clear and sharp; dazzling icy trails that lead from the house, to the coop, to the barns; the sound of snow crunching underfoot. And yet when we stop, we find the quiet after a heavy snowfall that's unlike any other.

Yes...it's cold.
Yes...it can be uncomfortable.

But bracing ourselves against such weather, will make the comforts of home and hearth all the more endearing.