Three Things

Wow. January is gone. Does anyone else think the first month of the year went by really quickly? Golly. At the same time, I’m not sad we are closer to the arrival of spring. I don’t hate winter. (Well, except on the mornings you wake up to freezing rain, and there’s a layer of ice over everything. I hate it then with teeth-clenching, fist-shaking fury.)

I don’t mind a brisk walk in clean, cold air. And I love snow, I really do. I revert to total kid-mode and get that giddy “Snow Day” feel when a big snow visits us. I wish we had more of it, to be honest. But then February rolls around and it’s all like “enough is enough,” you know? I feel brave and virtuous for having come this far with a minimum of whining. But now my heart turns with the earth’s angle and try as I might, I can’t help longing for the arrival of spring. Even the Rhododendron get it. When it’s really cold, they curl their leathery leaves inward, as if hugging themselves against the chill.

Sad Rhody

But when the sun warms things up, well, see for yourself, how open and happy they become.

Glad Rhody

Same for human beings, I think, or at least for this human being. So today, in my much-improved mood, I’m celebrating 3 things.

1. There is more light. Today first light was at 7:00 a.m. and sunrise at 7:26 a.m. The sun will set at 5:57 p.m. and last light will be at 6:23 p.m., OMG, I said 6:23 p.m! That results in 10 1/2 hours of daylight. More light makes things grow. More light makes me think I need to order some seed catalogs, get some wee green things started. More light makes my brain work better, wakes me up. I’m interested in what is going on around me again. My concentration improves, my vision widens. And just in time for this sort of reawakening, along comes Krista Tippett’s On Being podcast with new interviews. Today I’ll be listening to her conversation with psychologist Dacher Keltner on “The Thrilling New Science of Awe,” and here’s the thing. It’s 55 whole minutes, and I care if I finish it! Thank you, sunlight! (As a sidebar, I think awe can function as an antidote to the “blahs.” Will report back.)

2. That groundhog can go suck an egg. Honestly, groundhogs are just overgrown ground squirrels, not meteorologists. We had dozens of them on our farm in northeast Ohio. The dogs loved to hunt them out in the fields, dragging their bloated carcasses around and depositing them proudly at our back door. I wasn’t sad about the carnage, to be honest. I lived in mortal fear of riding my horse Hobo through those grassy fields, worrying about him stepping into a groundhog hole and snapping a bone. (How the day of Candlemas got overlaid with Groundhog Day is one of those things I believe must have had to do with too much German beer on too many cold, dark winter nights.)

3. Speaking of eggs, I’ve kind of put all of mine in the freelance writing basket, and I’m so very grateful to all you subscribers, and huge thanks to those of you who have become paying subscribers. I’d love to add 5 paying subscribers by the end of this month. I want to keep growing the list of people who feel my work is worth a few pennies a month and have the resources to support this crazy path — that I’ve chosen, or that’s chosen me, it’s hard to say. For now, I’m sticking with the patron model rather than having a paywall. I like knowing my words are available to read and share. At the same time, I like knowing my writing, my labor is seen as valuable and worthwhile.

And…I also know these are financially challenging times for so many of us, so another way to “give” is to share my posts with others you think might appreciate the content — essays and musings like this one, as well as new Dead Ringer chapters. And, since I’ll soon begin another round of agent queries with a revised Chasing Light book proposal and manuscript, I’d love to grow the list of those who would be interested in updates on the long, arduous slog toward publication of this book that is my whole heart.

Ready for round…whatever it is. 7? 8? Let’s GO! #reviseme

Hey, I’m sending special warm thoughts for those of you up north and east (I mean, did you see New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington clocked a record-setting -109°F wind chill on Friday?!), and I hope this rude winter slap in the face passes soon.

Have a great weekend, everyone. Please know how much I appreciate you being here!