Chopping ice

January 9

The water table is frozen solid! Instead of the usual sheet of ice that can be broken through with a butter knife, this morning the ice is one big block. The tin pail we left in the water is immobilized at the the bottom. My girls chip and scrape amazed that the water had finally frozen completely. 

Icicles

January 8

We find icicles this morning. Solid columns under the water table. "Can we break them?" my girls ask. With butter knives in hand they chop and the ice gives way.  They hold the broken pieces like trophies and run into the house to show their dad. 

Strolling with Friends

January 7

It's is bright and brisk. Our neighbor invites us to take our animals for a stroll. The girls rush down the sidewalk pushing their stuffed friends. Noses turn pink as we stop to look at the icy puddles. 

Full Moon Rising

January 5

"The moon is pink! Go look!" encourages my husband from his drive home. We rush outside and look for the moon. Too many trees to see it at first. Then it peaks up, only a glow at first. We stand transfixed as the glow moves up in the night sky and becomes a silvery ball. 

Light in the Dark

January 4

We hunker inside today putting away the holiday bounty. We are beckoned to the deck after dark by the sparkling lights. This time of short dark rainy days is also filled with such concentrated brightness. 

Maybe we work harder to bring light into our lives when the sun is in such short supply. We turn and see our elaborately decorated tree through the window. "I think we should keep it until March" announces my almost big girl. 

Found Treasures

January 3

A rainy grey day at home. So much intertia to overcome getting outside. But with the first breath of clean fresh air my senses perk up. A mile from home my fist born finds a tiny plastic dolphin in the road. It is treasure to her. "Mom, what if we found a different animal every time we walked this way? We could have a whole collection! Day one dolphin, day two giraffe . . . " 

Winter Waves

January 2

We walk along the winter beach. The cold salty air fills our lungs. This is heaven and I am grateful to be here, in the place, with these people.