so hygge or kurashi?

Some time in the predawn hours, Ed asks -- are you awake? You know how that goes: I am now! He's mesmerized by the overnight snow, the gentility of it. The stillness of the night scene. 

I do reach for my (lesser) camera, but I've been in this moment before, where the beauty of a scene is such that you have to witness it firsthand. A photo just wont do. But, I am awake, and without much thought or concern about the final product, which I know will be inadequate, I snap away. 

(from the kitchen, onto the snowed up screen porch..)

(from the art room)

(from the bedroom)

And now I may as well be up. A little early for me, but winter mornings are indeed beautiful. 

Hey animals, an early meal for you today!

And then I focus on our own breakfast, which, as yesterday, is in the warmth of our kitchen. I cannot tell you how much I love this kind of beginning to a day!

But here's a bother: I've stopped the daily hikes. I have to rethink my strategy going forward. Winter couch potato-hood is not a good idea.

For now though, I make myself a cup of Strawberry Shiso tea and luxuriate, chatting to friends (who live in warmer climes), reading, planning for the month before me. And in the realm of idle and inconsequential thoughts, I think how absolutely special these teas are -- this one, from Rishi, is a pure botanical (no caffeine) and it is not at all what you would imagine for a tea based in large part on strawberries. There's no sweetness to it at all, perhaps because of the Shiso, which is a Japanese plant that someone described as a bit spicy, a bit green and earthy. It's from the mint family, yet again -- you'd never guess that. Of course, all this conjures up a Japanese tea drinking image and this brings me back to the idea that maybe Kurashi is not such a bad idea after all (see yesterday's post)? Maybe curating special corners where you can have only that which brings you peace, joy, beauty, is worth aiming for? 

When you are retired, you can think about such stuff. 

Okay, can you see where my morning has landed? And stayed? (On the couch.)

In the afternoon, I pick up Snowdrop at school and we go back to my mom's place. She had a broken lamp, I took it home, Ed fixed it, so I'm bringing it back and giving Snowdrop a chance to connect to the older person's setting. (And yes, Snowdrop does have a bruise on her forehead, the result of being accidentally whacked by something a younger brother was swinging.) 

On the drive to the farmette, I get into one of those conversations with the little girl where I never win. Today, she got a candy bar from my mom. I tell her -- okay, you can have it, but it's super large, so just that for a sweet treat. She persevered with her position: mommy would let me have a candy bar PLUS a caramel!, adding -- I distinctly remember her letting me do that and I dont even know what distinctly means! I had to laugh. 

She got to eat her candy bar and the caramel.

At the farmette, somewhat defiantly, she climbs her tree (my mom had told her she thought it was dangerous).

Evening -- I am with Ed. He's still recovering and I am absolutely determined not to succumb to whatever dragged him down. Perhaps the Strawberry Shiso tea helped because I have shaken off all advancing germs and viruses thus far. 

Beautiful night. And guess what -- we're back to popcorn for our movie viewing! Total pleasure.