After the fun and frenzy of December, it's time to return to everyday living and routine. I think I'm ready to do that, even though that means no more staying up late or sleeping in.
This morning was the transition back to workweek routine and schedule, although our plans to rise and shine and hit the YMCA were hampered by a very warm and cozy bed, and temps in the teens outside. (Tomorrow will be a different story, and the warm bed will not win out.) As I stumbled to the kitchen and poured a cup of steaming coffee, I looked outside and realized snow was gently falling. Some big flakes, mostly small ones, drifted down silently...I guess someone forgot to tell them it's too cold to snow.
My eyes then caught movement toward the back of the property where several deer were slowly making their way across, nibbling on anything they could find to eat. That's always bad news for my young trees and shrubs, but it's still a very peaceful sight.
My first thought was pure whimsy: maybe nature was also struggling to get back in the workday routine. My second thought was an appreciation for the slower pace that is nature's routine. We humans would be well advised to emulate that slower pace instead of hurrying and scurrying about all day. My reverie was cut short when the dog tried to chase the deer and the cat tried to chase the dog. Fortunately, our "Milo and Otis" look out for one another, and the dog penned the cat in the greenhouse until she could be caught and brought back inside.
Yesterday I made runzas and a loaf of cinnamon-swirl bread. With a forecast showing nothing but cold temperatures for at least a week, I think a hearty pot of stick-to-your-ribs chicken soup will be on tonight's menu, with grilled cheese or runzas on the side. And I think I'll try moving at a steady - but slightly slower - pace today. And maybe even take a stroll across the yard while the snow is gently falling.
