Beautiful Winter

I’m not a big fan of winter. It isn’t a season where a lot of transition happens. Everything sleeps, and I am drowsy, despondent, stagnant.

This winter started out mellow. It wasn’t too cold, so I did my best to find beautiful things, especially as the year turned with a promise of early spring on the horizon.

January

Unfortunately, my nemesis–the winds from the Fraser Valley in Canada– hit the island in February. This cold system collided with storms. The mellow winter turned . . .

February

On Tuesday this week, I trudged outside. No one was out driving, so the normal quiet was even more silent.

Found the wonder of winter. The hush of snow. The transformed landscape . . .

Racoon (?) Prints on a Log

Outside, the slow thaw drips and slushes. The forecast doesn’t exactly call for spring again, but there are signs.

I stand near the wetlands

Just behind me

A red-winged blackbird clings to some dead plant

Calling over and over and over again

Not caring anything about winter.

Spring and Everything

My music tonight is the song of Pacific tree frogs in the wetlands near my house. My office window faces the stage.

My sons want to know why frogs advertising their manliness brings me joy. True enough. Silly, really.

“I’m here!”

“I’m here too!”

“Pick me!”

“No, me!”

Spring also means beautiful clouds, daffodils, blossoming trees . . .

Possibility.

The frogs persistently sing of possibility.

 

Worthy music, indeed!

 

A crocus from earlier this month.

Notice all the muddy ground.

Darkness and Light

This is the time of year where the sun sits low in the sky and rain falls sometimes ceaselessly.

So much bad news in recent weeks and too many deaths.

It’s easy to fall into the darkness.

Yet, it’s not my nature to do so.

I find light in unusual places.

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Moments of sunshine

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and comfort when everything else feels chaotic and unsure.

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Looking for Whales

I spent last Saturday morning at Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan Island.

It was still early. The crowds hadn’t arrived yet.

Lime Kiln State Park
Lime Kiln State Park

I searched for whales, but there were none to be found. I saw some harbor porpoises, but they disappeared before I could get a photo.

The lighthouse looked lovely in the morning light.

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