goodnight, february

 We had a warm February down here in Western NC.  I know many have, in many places.  Frighteningly many places, really.  This is the second year in a row that we haven't been able to tap the neighborhood sugar maples (we haven't had a long enough period of cold and then freezing nights and thawing days before the trees set bud).  I don't like having to buy maple syrup after making our own for three years, but that's not the real reason it bothers and worries me, of course.

 So yes, a sunny and mostly very warm February.  I actually didn't set out to sound so gloomy about it, but sometimes I can't help it.  I mean, who doesn't love sunshine on their shoulders, right?  But still........ ugh.  There are so many things out there, hugely important things, that rely on seasons and the appropriate playing out of natural rhythms in order to move along just right, and often I just can't help but feel anxious about it.

 Anyway- a February wrap-up, that's what this is.  And so here goes:  Claire invited a new neighbor over for a tea party (our new neighbor is a woman in her 60s who lives two doors down with her two miniature dachshunds.  Claire has become fast friends with all three of them, and it is quite sweet and reminds me of my own childhood friendship with an older next-door neighbor.  I need to tell some stories about Lulu, sometime......), we continue watching the birds regularly for Cornell University's Project Feederwatch, there are plants in sunny windowsills, eggs a plenty once again, daffodils blooming everywhere.  Witch hazel blossoms, and the plum tree, too.  Grape hyacinths, violets......... I've even spied a few dandelions.  A wonderful visit with a dear sweet baby cousin of Claire's and my lovely sister-in-law.  Seeds are started, peas and spinach have been planted, the garlic we planted in the fall has a solid 6" of growth peeking up through the leaves.  I have spent the whole month eating mostly broth and vegetables and meat and a bit of fruit and coconut thrown in.  I miss crunchy.  Maybe soon.  I've aimed to do yoga every day and just about made it.  Not quite, but pretty close.  I've read a few good books and just started another.  I suppose it is noteworthy as well that I wasn't sick at all this month.  A little scratchy throat from time to time- thwarted each time it would seem by a couple days of regular dosing of good homemade tinctures and extra tea and rest, but nothing that really got me down and out.  Looking back, it seems February is often a month that I finally succumb to a bit of wintry illness after thinking I've just about gotten away with not.  Not this year, though.

 She got a new jumprope for Valentine's Day and has been happily hop-skip-jumping around with it.  There have been several barefoot days.  There was even a day, last Thursday, when it hit the high 70s and we pulled out the blue plastic dollar store kiddie pool and Claire splashed around in it at lunchtime.  In February.

 The plum tree is out in all her glory now.  Just in time for a 28 degree night last weekend.  Things are still looking okay though- the bees were all over it today, their legs heavy with the bright pollen.  The tree looked almost as if it were buzzing itself there were so many honeybees and mason bees and various other pollinators on it.  I think we're supposed to be back into the low to mid twenties in a few nights, so........  we'll see.  We didn't get plums last year because of a similar pattern, so I'm not getting too hopeful.  We'll just see.

And now, March.