Midwinter Magic
Photo by Unsplash
It’s February. Some people like to see February as the halfway point from when winter begins to take shape in Vermont to when we begin to experience a genuine spring-like pattern of weather, give or take the effects of climate change. But I have a more celebratory approach to February. After what seemed to be 182 days of January, I am not wishing February away too quickly. Most of the magic of February lasts only a day at a time, then the weather (or my mood and motivation) will change. Whereas the dark days of January lasted FOREVER, the ephemeral nature of increasing blue skies and sunshine in February calls me to take notice, to linger, to appreciate that the days can both remind us of the beauty of winter AND that winter will come to an end before we know it. So I will love it and not rush it. In this phase of my life, time is as precious a commodity as The Precious Days it fills.
So it’s time to pay tribute to a few of the beautiful aspects of this month that are bringing me joy. Events and experiences can feel life magic in the humdrum of cold, gray winter days in January. And I’ve decided that this year I am going to start celebrating February not as midwinter, but as the end of winter — March gets to be spring in my book no matter how much snow falls. 😉
What I am loving about February…
Noticeable amounts of light creeping in. By mid-February it stays light until almost 5:30. By the end of the month, it edges even closer to 6:00. The effect of that extra light is extra energy,
Brilliant sunrises and sunsets. With sunrise happening close to 7:00, it’s wonderful to wake up to pink ombré skies and end the day with the golden, fiery glow of the sky reaching toward the lake.
An entire week of sun, blue skies, and springlike temps. Here in Vermont, February often splurges by giving us an entire week of false spring. February 2024 gave us a spectacular one recently and it was just the midwinter tonic we needed!
Super Bowl Sunday. If I am invested in one of the teams, that’s just a bonus. My husband and I love to watch the game, enjoy our Super Bowl snacks, and comment on the commercials. It’s an all around fun night and a February celebration we look forward to.
Spring training. Right around the Super Bowl, pitchers and catchers report to spring training, followed by the rest of the players mid-February. By the end of the month, all teams are seeing pre-game action, and it’s time to get ready for opening day at the end of March.
Valentine’s Day. I love this holiday purely for the fact that it breaks up February. I still send Valentines and try to coax my husband into doing something special. This year he made me smoked salmon Eggs Benedict. ❤️
Fat Tuesday. I love to catch some of Mardi Gras festivities on television, and enjoy some pancakes. I’m reminded of a trip to New Orleans, years ago, the crowded streets, the music, the beignets, and those delicious Hurricanes.
Backyard Birds. early birdsong. By February the Carolina wren is beginning to serenade us in the mornings again. The chickadees trill a more spring-like song, and even the cardinals are warming up to join the chorus. And by February, I’m convinced the little red-bellied woodpecker on the suet feeder is my personal pet.
Waiting for a BIG snowstorm. We usually get one in February, and then another in March. I look forward to the quiet of the fresh snow, and a chance of seeing a bright red cardinal on a snow covered branch.
Harvesting the lettuce from our AeroGarden. After the holidays we always plant a variety of lettuce in our hydroponic garden. By February we are eating our own fresh lettuce from our little soil-free garden and discussing what we’ll actually plant in May.
Hot drinks all day long. Decaf lattes, London Fogs, and every kind of herbal tea you can think of (but I am partial to Pukka’s Chamomile, Vanilla, and Manuka Honey) occupy cup after cup once the electric kettle is plugged in each morning.
Shaking up my reading routines. In February, I start to turn to more non-fiction. I also begin to make “collections” of books I want to read and compare before the sunny warm days set in. This February, I went on an internet expedition to purchase used copies of May Sarton’s novels I haven’t read (note to readers — there were a lot!)
Store-bought tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils. No trip to the grocery store is complete without grabbing a bouquet of pink, white, or yellow tulips. A trip to Trader Joe’s produced one small bunch of purple hyacinths that had the house smelling glorious for days. Can’t wait to see the first display of daffodil bunches (last year they had to put up a sign in the produce section informing people they were NOT bunches of asparagus).
Time for the annual puzzles. Each year my husband and I gift each other puzzles. In February, we put them together. Last year I gave up, and my husband finished the 1000 pieces himself. This year, we’re going with a 500 piece puzzle, and I’m in.
It’s a leap year. So I will get to love February for an extra day!
Coming out of winter hibernation. During February, I come out of my January funk and hibernation. The end of February signals it’s time to get ready for spring. I’ll be doing a lot of thinking about my 2024 ONE WORD, renewal.
Looks like we’ve just about made it! 🙂
How about you? What’s delighting you about February?
