Mercifully, this is the shortest month of the year, and as the last full month of winter that is a blessing without disguise. It seemed like we should present something fiery for February, and these scarlet berries mirror the cardinals that occasionally visit the yard and spruce things up with their fiery plumage. Though the gardens remain in a state of slumber, the cardinals and finches have been providing bits of their colorful carriage, creating temporary gardens whenever and wherever they alight. The blue jays add to this as well, mimicking the blue of the sky, etched with their striking stripes and patterns.
Even the squirrels want to get in on the winter show, traipsing along the fence and digging in the snow for a stray acorn or errant nut. Their gray coats are better at blending into the surroundings at this sad time of the year, but their actions are just as interesting as they are in the sunnier months.
In our home, we are already getting antsy for spring, which still feels a long way off. We’ll see what the groundhog has to say tomorrow, not that it’s wise to put anything of substance in that one’s paws. Winter will take as many weeks as it takes and there’s nothing much to do about it. The best thing is to find its rare pockets of beauty and enjoy them as they come.
There will be another spring, and another summer.
The sun will shine again.
The pool will beckon.
