sliding down to February

I look back at yesterday's post to convince myself that the day was real. Today, we're slowly moving back down to something that is closer to winter, though not fully so: mid 40sF (around 7C) is still quite a bit above average for Wisconsin.

Well, let's not be greedy. Breakfast, however, is in the front room. No sun today, just to add insult to the tumbling temperatures.






Still, there are the telltale signs of the coming of spring. For example, when I pick up Snowdrop, I am delighted to see right by her school a clump of... snowdrops! Such prettiness!






Snowdrop (the girl) wants to stay out, but the idea of going for a stroller walk today is just so unexciting to me. I propose we drive over to Paul's coffee shop and fortify ourselves with a cheesy croissant.

But on our way to Paul's we pass a playground. Surely she'd love a little swing time? Yes she would!

The playground is empty, but right next to it there is a stretch of grassy terrain and a guy is practicing his golf swing on it. Snowdrop is fascinated.
He is playing baseball! -- she tells me.
Actually golf. Similar but different!






She considers this, then corrects me: he's playing baseball.
Who am I to argue? She has been to more ball games in her short life than I have in mine.

The swings here allow for a higher soar and she is delighted by this!






I can hardly watch the back and forth (dizzying!) and after a while I try to interest her in the rest of the playground equipment. She is game, but it's a little over her age.






We drive on to Paul's to pick up our prize snack to take back to the farmhouse.






Later, much later, Snowdrop takes her much needed daily nap. Most kids who are up as early as she is and who go through such a rich and varied morning plunk down soon after the noon hour. Snowdrop pushes that. If you put her down too early, she'll play in her bed for well over an hour, but she will not nap. So I delay. There is a price to that: she sleeps well and long alright, but she wakes up in a daze. It takes a while for her to regain her footing.

(Snowdrop, working on regaining her footing.)






Perhaps I especially like this photo because right now, I feel like after a nap myself. There was this dream of warm air and sunny skies. I woke up then, but I'm still a little discombobulated.

I'll regain my footing once the snow starts falling tomorrow morning. We'll be solidly into winter again. Yeah! Familiar turf for February in Wisconsin!