December 22, 2009

88 days and counting

winter came quietly, if officially, yesterday at 12:47 p.m. it didn't yell or draw attention to itself, it just settled in and wrapped my world in bright blues and chilly air. no snow (that's okay with me), no drama (also okay too), just a sweet knowledge at this the shortest day brings on additional minutes of light each day. it started it's icy crawl towards the equinox just 88 days away. 88 days...isn't that like piano keys (or is that 82? i forget). the flats and sharps of the season.

welcome winter - i'm happy to have you because you bring along your friend spring soon enough. in the meantime, i will love your aquamarine skies, lacey frost on the leaves, and the pink tips to everyone's nose. the faster steps, the crunch beneath my feet and the feel of a warm coffee mug in my cupped hands all make me glow. the barren branches shape a lattice against the sky and the branches take on a special grace. all the things i love for you this season - reminders of when that cold wind blows and i despair that i will never see green again, that you do bring in the green season. if not for the cold, the flowers would not blossom as bright. so welcome, even if i don't always make you feel at home.

25 comments:

  1. This is the first year that I am trying really hard to embrace winter and all that it brings. We get a lot of rain, rather than snow, so the winter is a bit depressing and gray. I like your way of looking at it though...winter brings spring along. I'm going to have to remember that.

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  2. you are such a suck up !
    okay, I totally just cracked myself up saying that to you, but if you were sitting right here with me, that's what I'd say to you and then we'd both be laughing until we choked on our hot tea :)

    anyhow, somehow you made winter sound beautiuful but I bet if I got your butt out on that ice with me and the fishermen, you'd change your mind a little bit...or maybe you'd find some hunk hunk a burnin love who likes to fish....

    hmmmm....maybe you should come visit :)

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  3. I love the change of seasons, each one bringing its own unique beauty to our days. Happy winter to you!

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  4. great post (and pic) ... you paint a great picture (or is it take?) with your words. winter is here for sure in SoCal. ;) -Jg.

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  5. I love your descriptions! Helps me appreciate this dreary season for all it's really worth... thank you.

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  6. lol!!!! now wait a minute - i said i wasn't always so welcoming. what i really want to do is hurry those 88 days along. but, beth is right - i would be laughing along with her. and she's also right that if i lived up north i would probably be singing a different song. my blood is way too thin to sit out on the ice.

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  7. You're much nicer to winter than I am.

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  8. the sharps and flats of the season.

    Took my breath away a little...lovely, lovely, lovely...

    (and there ARE 88 keys on a piano)

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  9. Char your words are beautiful today, I just came in from shovelling snow, I had to leave the rest for hubby, There were not some pretty words going on outside. There is no place to shovel here...as for fishermen not me either, lots of them out here though especially back home. Not my idea of fun, digging a hole, dropping in a worm and waiting for hours, then coming home going golly gee I did not catch a thing, but we really had fun! If they want to have fun, grab a vacumme and help me houseclean. I will buy the fish....oh my where did this come from! lol

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  10. Love your poetic description of winter......

    Greetings from cajun country...where there is a little chill in the air but not much of one! :(
    But its calling for some cold by Friday! yay!

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  11. ahh...so beautiful,Char. love your words here ♥

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  12. winter is here! it isn't very cold where i am, but i still like the thought that it is winter. even if it was 80 degrees here over the weekend! :)

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  13. you're truly an artist.
    in every sense of the word.

    happy holidays, char.

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  14. What a lovely image. The barren branches shaping a lattice against the sky. Beautifully written, my friend. I can't believe winter came and I didn't even realize it!
    Brenda

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  15. you describe it so beautifully!

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  16. yes winter just sort of tip-toed in here in the south. it was near 60. I enjoy winter for cold and the things you speak of and always look forward to spring when the time comes.

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  17. love your selection of books, prozac nation was very meaningful for me a whle ago

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  18. well said...you write beautifully! have a very merry christmas Char, you and your blog are part of my daily routine!

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  19. i have hopes for no drama at least until the new year, it's very high hopes but one never knows...

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  20. beautiful sentiments of winter:) -- i do love that crunchy sound of snow underfoot.

    happy holidays!

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  21. My heart counts solstice as the first day of spring, regardless of what my brain says. It's all about the sunshine - I'm so glad to be getting more day instead of less again!

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  22. Thinking of you and wishing you a Merry Christmas, Char.

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  23. It's a mild winter here compared to others...point taken though~
    Wishing you a wonderful Christmas Char!
    xo

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  24. I do love the lace of bare branches against the sky.

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i feel as if each comment was between us as we sat and sipped something warm....i love to hear what you're thinking.