Busy day today with no time spent in my studio. Plus February "vacation" is next week. Yay! So disappointed but there is always a chance tonight. It's a absolute mess outside and I'm happy to stay put tonight and get some work done. Staying warm with a cup of hot tea and drawing sounds like the perfect way to spend this snowy winter night. I don't think I will ever be in love with winter. But the winter blues are skipping me this year and that is good enough for me.
Snow Day Art Day!
Another snow day here in Boston. What is it with all these mid-week storms? I shouldn't complain because I think another storm is forecasted for this weekend. Looking at the snow piling up outside it is hard to believe just this past Sunday we were stomping around in rainboots at light jackets at a local farm. Not today. We might go out later to build a snowman or sled. But mostly today is for staying inside and doing art. Like contact paper sun catchers for our windows. That is, we will do that if they ever stop playing together in their room. Little sister is super excited to have her big sister home with her today. My Little Pony, Lego, Magnatiles, dressup and even trains have all come out so far this morning. There is still plenty of time to make one of these right? We did it!
Coming Around to Winter
Despite living in cold and snowy climates my entire life enjoying or even accepting winter does not come naturally to me. Maybe it has something to do with growing up in the mid-west in an area with snow but no hills so no good sledding unless you can find another kid or a dog to pull you. Not the same kind of fun as sledding down a steep hill on a simple plastic sled. In Chicago we built a lot of snowmen and igloos in the winter and had many snowball fights. Out east the snow is less conductive to building things but hills are all over the place and we have a great one for sledding with the kids walking distance from our house. I have good boots, a good coat, wool socks and snow pants so I was ready to spend hours having fun in the snow with my six year old. And to my surprise I actually had fun and didn't complain about the weather once. If you live in New England and spend all winter pining for spring and summer like I have done in years past then you are bound to be miserable. No more pining for Summer or crossing my fingers and praying for a mild winter. Just acceptance and doing my best to enjoy the winter that we get. After all we only get so many of them to enjoy why waste the time year after year being miserable? Also, how can I possible be miserable when she is so happy? It just is not possible to be sulky around such pure joy.
Autumn Regrets
We are buried in snow here in Boston a week before Christmas and I am trying to enjoy it while deep down I am pining for Autumn and feeling my annual winter Autumn regrets. Regretting that I let myself get so busy that I didn't enjoy glorious fall it it's full potential. The snow is really pretty right now and sledding is fun but winter in the city is a challenge. It gets ugly fast and the ice makes getting around just plain dangerous. At the very least getting around in the winter can be very tricky and require some extra planning and time. And of course it is very cold! But autumn is just lovely! The colors, the crisp air and the food. Just wonderful. Unfortunately that is also when school and activities start and the weekends fill up quickly. Right now I regret that we only went apple picking once, that we never made it to the Arboretum when the leaves were turning, that I didn't go on more bike rides and that we didn't carve a pumpkin for Halloween. The snow is on the ground and there is no going back now. Not until next fall when I will again be busy and partially crippled from anxiety about the impending winter.
