It’s winter here in Grady-ville. Everything has a raw, unkempt, cold look to it. We walked our dog through the alleys of Kansas Street and the houses were looking almost spooky. Chipped paint, trash in dooryards, wayward weeds, overturned trash cans, it was strange how somber things looked without a coating of green leaves and summer sun.
Right now we are trying to stay warm through the arctic winds the midwest gets at this time of year. There’s no snow because it’s too cold and the sky is like steel. Our gas heaters are on almost constantly and there is usually an animal and a kid curled up next to one. The downstairs floor is COLD. How come insulating the basement ceiling is never on my priority list until it’s 20 degrees? There is a weird pocket of lovely toasty air that sits right on the stairs. This makes you think that the first floor is cozy, but as soon as you get to the bottom it’s like ice! Christmas is long over and the New Year so I’m done with winter! Blah!!!
I’ve been trying to practice hygge. So far it has helped a lot. I tend towards depression in the winter time and I wanted to try something different. We are lighting the fireplaces, burning candles, putting blankets and fuzzy pillows all over the furniture, making special food, going for walks, playing board games and drinking LOTS of tea! So far I am feeling really good. I think making a mindset that you are going to celebrate a season and focusing on self-care and family-care is a great way to get through the winter. But I still can’t wait for spring!
So darlings this is when I will know that Spring is here- one of my first signs (well I do have some extremely confused daffodils coming up right now).
This! This here! See that dappled light coming in through the window seat and making that beautifulness on my stairs? That makes me stop and it makes my heart sing. When it’s spring I get terribly homesick sometimes because I know I’m not at my house to soak all this fleeting beauty up. I am at school with my little people though and that makes it ok.
In the meantime we have been eating lots of hearty hot things for dinner and using our Frankoma dishes a lot. They have me in a good mood with their green color. They are great all-year-round dishes.
Also it’s tax time! I am praying we get a good return. We need to buy a new (used) car this year and a good return will be part of our plan to not have a car payment for long.
Our dog has an alternate agenda!
With love, happy taxes, and crazy daffodil shoots on Kansas Street
-Jaime
Life on Kansas Street 