In the morning, while fixing breakfast, I listen to Aishah Rascoe (who has to be one of NPR's best!) interview Ilyasah Shabazz, one of the middle daughters of Malcolm X (he had six of them). So much to learn about this man, his life, his evolution, and the image that he left for others to exploit after his death! The interview gave me a new perspective on him. A daughter's perspective, as it were. I was just 11 when he was assassinated and so all I knew was what I learned after. The complexities had faded. Time erases nuance.
I then read an article about Senator Chris Murphy (from Connecticut). I'll gift that one for you here. Why? No, silly reader -- not because his mother is of Polish descent (and has a maiden name remarkably similar to mine), and not because his sister shares the name of one of my daughters! Rather -- because reading it gives you hope. It reminds you that there are smart people in Congress who seek to understand the current crisis and address it with the tools we now have available to us. Pay attention to this guy. If we have elections in 2028 (and it is an "if"), I would expect Murphy to be among the front runners on the Democratic ticket.
Why all this reading early on? Well, Ed did the run to the barn to feed the animals this morning. As a favor, yes, but mostly so that I would hurry up with my morning rituals, so that we could head out to do our (perhaps last) cross country skiing.
Breakfast, still leisurely, followed soon on the heels of morning chores.
And by 10, we were in our local park.
That's exceptionally early for us. Why rush out like this? Because the temps are rising and the snow is melting and there wasn't that much of it in the first place.
Is this our last ski outing for the year? It could be. Best commemorate it!
(a selfie that didn't quite align well!)
(proof that I was there... in my pink sweatpants)
It is a good outing. Indeed, a great one. We didn't quite get a robust skiing season this year, but we had this -- a few days in February that weren't drab or bleak or centered on the living room couch. We are grateful!
And the afternoon, which is in fact split between the couch and chores, quickly morphs into the evening. Dinner with the young family!
(crackers, cheese, olives: take your pick! Snowdrop always goes for the olives. The boys? cheese on very long crackers!)
Dinner.
After everyone was fed and the kitchen was tidied and toys were put away, Ed and I watched a new video from our old farmer favorite (Just a Few Acres). The farmer, who lives in upstate New York, noted that winter was half over. Half over?? No way! I'd say we're heading into spring. Sure, early spring, which does last a long time up north. The ground is hard as a rock and there will be a spotty snow cover for a while. But when you have temps inching up -- for me, that's a sign of early spring. Not just the second half of winter!
One last week of February, coming up!
with love...
