Today marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. Winter has arrived and she is truly a dichotomy of sorts; quiet, serene and very much alive and yet stark, harsh and severe at times. I don't think I could live without experiencing the winter like we do here in the mid-Atlantic. The gradual seasonal shifts throughout the year is one of the things I love most about gardening and being outside. Ever changing, sometimes predictable, sometimes not. From sleigh riding and making snow angels as a kid to making snow angels with my own kiddos to watching my father-in-law's favorite cedar waxwings sharing berries during a gentle snow fall to seeing the early signs of renewal and life emerging from the soil. Our experiences are infinite.
If we stop to see, listen and truly appreciate the gifts that nature gives us day in and day out, it's awe-inspiring. There is beauty and function in every season, in every month, in every day that we spend on this earth. We simply need to be still, quiet and observe. Winter encourages us to slow down, observe and to reflect. It's in the stillness that it touches our hearts and opens our minds to new possibilities. Wishing you and yours peace, health and quiet reflection during this beautiful winter season.
With warmest regards,
Ruth
Photo Credit: Grey Squirrel, Joe Mastrippolito