The Rest of January

Once the snow melted, our month was everything that it should be. I love that empty fresh space that January occupies. It might just be in my head, but once I make it through the cluttered and busy holiday season and there are a few months yet before Spring gardening needs to happen, I feel light and free. I love the months when I can pause a little and regather myself.

Of course, now those empty months aren't so empty as they used to be, because I spend them preparing for the Spring Market in Nashville. But it's different, somehow.

After taking down the Christmas decorations, I left much of my usual decor in their boxes. My window sills are mostly bare, my mantle is sparsely adorned. With the big braided rug gone from the living room, I am enjoying a sense of space that is refreshing. My house isn't very big. Each room is *just barely* big enough for the furniture that occupies it. Add in a bunch of clutter, no matter how carefully curated, and I start to feel a bit claustrophobic. No more. At least until I open a few certain closets, that is...

I don't usually comment individually on my photos, but this next one needs a little special mention. It was taken by my 11 year old. I was de-lighting the tree, sorting through the strings, getting ready to box them up for another year. "Stop, Mama! Don't move!" he said, then snapped this picture. I love watching the creativity coming out in my babies. Didn't he do a great job?

'Tis the Season

Frost and hail, rain and ice, gloomy clouds and blinding sun.

Finally admitting that the weather is too cold for Converse.

Christmas cards and Christmas lights and Christmas pageants and Christmas movies and Christmas stories read by fireside.

Stitching, always stitching.

A brand new baby, born too early, but oh so sweet; nephew #8. And holding him in my arms didn't give me the aching wish for another baby. Whew... still good with the decision to stop at 2.

A neighbor knocking on my door asking if he could take prego pictures of his girlfriend on our snowy property. Oh yes! And may I please take some pictures of the two of you together? Now fully addicted to snowy photo shoots.

No-school days equal lots of messing up of rooms and video games and "I don't know what to do with myself".

Many decisions were made that turned this holiday season into a much simpler time, much to my delight and also confusion. What? Nothing else to wrap? No more gifts to hurry up and purchase? No more parties to attend? I'm liking the peacefulness, and would like it even more if two of our family members would quit coughing already.

Life is full and sweet and if I'm being completely honest with you all, I can hardly wait until Christmas is over and the clear, clean slate of 2017 is here at last. Perhaps my most favorite time of the year.