January through new eyes...

Perspective. It's all about it, isn't it? I've often called January my 'hate month'. The longest of a deep winter, with no holidays to break up the drudgery. Before January is half done, it's easier to see snow as evil rather than magical.

Perspective - somehow mine is changing. Maybe it's because this may be my last January to live in a place where snow abounds, and nobody really needs to buy those 'icicle' Christmas lights. God hangs them from the eaves of our houses on a regular basis. We've got boots and gloves and scarves and hats and snow pants, and sleds, and cupboards are never bare of cocoa and miniature marshmallows. This winter I find myself looking out the back door at a winter wonderland, aware this time in my life is fleeting. Letting the dogs out, I stand and watch them romp across the mounds of snow, loving the sound of the frozen ground crunching. I've caught a glimpse of how red the cardinals look on a snow-crusted branch, or the sound of the neighbor's grandchildren sliding down the backslope of their yard on sleds of various shapes and sizes. It's worth letting some of the heat out of the house to crack the door and catch their squeals cutting through the thin, cold air. Someday soon these things won't come again, at least not often.

It's taken me by surprise, how fast January has flown by. After DH scraped less than an inch of white stuff off the driveway and pulled out, headed to work, snow fairies visited again, leaving behind 3-4" inches more. I'm finding it delicious to see the drifts left across the yard and driveway, as the swirling wind played twisty games with it. I emailed DH at work, with the happy message: "Plan to fire up your man toys when you get home. This one's too much for the shovels!"

Well after noon today I'm still in pjs - the perfect attire for another snowy day. After spending my morning gathering papers for the tax man and filling bird feeders, I started bean soup with the our Christmas ham bone thrown in. I could possibly get full just on the smells wafting through the rooms of our house. It'll be a cozy dinner tonight after Manly makes it home and finishes dealing with what those snow fairies left us.

It's all about perspective, isn't it? In spite of so many things that could dampen spirits if I would dwell on them, this has been a really great January. February should prove to be even snowier, we've got kids coming home for a visit, Valentines Day, and Fiddler on the Roof - with all that to look forward to, February is bound to fly by because it's only 28 days long!

P.S. 'Manly' - I love the sound of that!