Monday

The snows tapered off this morning. Now comes the interminable wait for it all to melt. That wont happen today -- we're hovering right around freezing.

A friend in Poland send me photos of tulips and violets blooming their heads off right now. Typically our growing season parallels Poland's growing season. But what color do I have in my garden today? I suppose I can offer this sweet cardinal, who looks like a splotch of red paint carelessly sprayed onto a winter canvas.






I wont keep comparing, but still, it feels so unfair. Last year on this day, the daffodils were in full bloom. Hundreds of them. The cherry blossoms were profuse. We ate breakfast and dinner on the porch. How could this year be so completely crazy?

Of course, there will always be color at the breakfast table.






And a warm space to play for Snowdrop when she comes here after school.

The little girl gets a bit of a reward today from me -- oil pastels to experiment with (non-toxic!). She had done a remarkable piece of art in school and I thought it was a good moment to bring out colors that she can mix. So that today she sees that blue and yellow make green and more importantly, red and white make pink!






The afternoon also calls for warm foods. She's on it!






And I am too. The young family will be with us for "Sunday" dinner and so I have much to prepare. As I move to the kitchen, Snowdrop picks up my camera. It's not an SLR, but nor is it a light point and shoot. It's clunky for her little hands. I'm sort of taken aback. Careful! Careful, Snowdrop! It's so fragile! Here's how I look at that moment -- as seen in Snowdrop's first picture of .... me.






Evening. Mom hasn't seen daughter for a whole day! Lap time is in order.
















The meal...






And now it's dark and all is quiet and perhaps if I just retreat upstairs and go to sleep soon it will be morning and there will be sunshine and maybe a daffodil in the front yard?

Not likely. But soon! I mean, at some point, spring will come.