Early Bird

Today I braved the bitter wind and went on a walk -- and my reward was seeing a robin. I have never seen a non-winter bird appear so early in the winter season before. I was amazed when I heard its familiar sound, first, then saw its tiny red form on top of someone's roof. I hope this means we will have an early spring...early bird -- early spring, makes sense. That's what I am hoping for anyway.

Thank You.

Thank You for the winter birds.

(I could not find a credit for this beautiful photo) --- Update: Photo by Fiona Childs

Top Withens

Open Window

Outside the open window
The morning air is all awash with angels.
~Richard Purdy Wilbur

Blah Blah Blah

I refuse to talk about the bitter, unforgiving, blah-blah weather outside for any length of time. It surrounds me and has settled in for the duration of this first month of the year, it is the elephant in the room and I acknowledge it, but only just. I will try to be cozy and calm, for that is what mid-winter is for....watching favorite movies cozilly wrapped in fleecy goodness from head to toe, sipping tea in cozy cups while reading a good book, and shopping online without having to leave the house or even your room.

So here are some things on my mind this January that are not even remotely blah-related. 

I discovered this darling Australian television series called "McLeod's Daughters," (thanks to my sister), that aired starting back in 2001 for eight seasons. I adore it. Just watch (Netflix or Youtube), and you'll be hooked, ...it's smart, sophisticated, romantic, and funny. Nothing blah about it. There are so many seasons they had time to develop the characters and story lines, and they did a great job with it. Two sisters reunite, after twenty years apart, on their late father's cattle station in the Australian Bush.


Another blog posted about this Cabin website and I just find it a perfect fit for winter because the pictures there are so comforting and familiar. You want to pull up the hearth, sit and dream you are a world away in a variety of quaint little spaces. Basically it's people posting pictures from all over the world of cute little cabin spaces such as this one, ...notice there is no blah at this cabin.

Photo by James Dennit - British Columbia

On a shelf in a remote room, sits this gorgeous, massive, blue collection of romance poetry from the likes of Tennyson, Coleridge, Shelley, and Byron. It is for sale in my shop rather than for my personal collection because...

 ...as much as I hate to admit it, my own collection looks like this....

...less massive and less beautiful to look at, but readable for my tiny-lazy-poetry-brain. I want the massive set in my head, but I'll settle for the baby version at least for now. Baby steps and motivation might get me into some "cast away the blah's" mid-winter reading.

As you can see, there is hardly anything blah-blah about January if you really think about it.

Starry Starry Night

I saw the twinkle stars to-night,

Unusual on a mid-winter night.

Clouds had broken murky cover,
Offering a view far and wide,

Inviting to touch the sparkle of,
Winter diamonds hung in the sky.

I saw the twinkle stars to-night,

An unlikely starry starry winter night.