Wintertime 2022

T.S. Eliot wrote that "...April is the cruellest month." Some would argue that December is harder. But I love December now. My very favorite holiday, Christmas, is in December. In fact, I now love November, December and January and February. A total flip from loving June, July and August. I grew up a summer-loving girl. Now I dread summer and it's record breaking heat; temperatures hotter and hotter and hotter every year.

But in the winter, sheets of soft gray cover the skies and a gentle blue blends in
​as the day goes on. The air is crisp and a slow appearing sun pokes through ropes of white sky.

In winter, after the rains, some of my walking trails turn into brown mush. Unwalkable with dense and damp clumps of earth clinging to the bottom of my boots. Other trails, usually worn hard, have puddles for dogs to splash through and me to figure out how to cross.

This morning, something totally unexpected at Las Virgenes. Now I know why there's always been a sandy patch to the side of a small, barely noticeable streambed. It's been more active than I thought. Rushing water has filled that slight and shallow channel before but days ago, it was a force cutting through, exposing rocks and tree roots, leaving a gash all along the earth of it's path. January rains hollowed out a new winding way for the next heavy rain run off. Heavy like it hasn't been in 20+ years.

2022 is here. A new year brings change. 
may the sun bring you new energy by day
may the moon softly restore you by night
may the rain wash away your worries
may the breeze blow new strength into your being
may you walk gently through the world and know it's beauty all the days of your life.
- Apache Blessing​