"I pray this winter be gentle and kind - a season of rest from the wheel of the mind."
John Geddes
The picture and the quote above says it all. With the exception of a particularly nasty storm in the days right before Christmas, winter in my neck of the woods has been pretty quiet. Only a little over 3 hours from here, in Buffalo, New York, they've had enough snow on numerous occasions to fill a football stadium. Did I mention how grateful I am right now?
My window on the world in winter is quite a departure from the other seasons of the year. Yet, I am blessed to be living here, where the distant hills are still green with evergreens and pine trees, and the ones near my building are just as green. I am never bereft of color even in the depth of winter.
My main concerns this year have been for the critters, especially my little squirrel neighbors next door. When the big, bad storm of Christmas 2022 hit, the worst of it was the wind and the extreme cold. Gusts of over 50 mph were recorded and the wind chill went down to -21 degrees. I had packed a bag and moved in with my daughter's family so we could all be together in case the power went out and she couldn't get to me or I to her. All the time I was safe and sound, my thoughts kept going to my little neighbors and all the other birds, chipmunks, and animals who had to tough it out as best they could. When I returned on the afternoon of Christmas Day, it was a whole 3 days later before I caught sight of Mama Squirrel and her offspring. I didn't see Dad but the chances were good that if Mom and son made it in their little home under the roof across the way, Dad probably did, too. I was so happy you'd have thought that they were actual relatives which, in a manner of speaking, and according to what I learned from my Native American teachers, they are. The native phrase "all my relations," refers to just that ... all living things are my relatives. I celebrated by throwing them a belated Christmas feast complete with peanuts, seeds, chopped apples and fresh greens. I began leaving nuts and seeds out as soon as it turned colder in December so they could store up for the winter and had been counting on that to see them through the storm. That they survived was reason enough to celebrate and help them re-stock their larder.
The days of January have swung back and forth from cold to warm, from winter to fall, and even a day or two of early spring thrown in. All around us the weather has been terrible but in our little valley we have been lucky. It's not that I don't love to see the snowflakes falling down, making everything look pretty, which I have written about before, but that seemed more appropriate for Christmas. Now, in depth of winter, my concerns for "all my relations" as well as the well-being of my human family is my focus. In my own case, I'm hoping that our annual February whopper of a storm holds off until after the 16th as I am scheduled for knee surgery and wish to be back home before it hits. Then I can sit and look out of my window on the world and let Mother Nature do her thing. It is, after all, winter.
Stay safe, stay warm, stay well, and don't forget about all "your" relations.
And so it is ... until next time.
