First snows, Hygge comforts, & New books. . .
“I smell snow” I typed those words into my family group text and attached a photo of the cloudy, gray view from our porch looking out over the mountain range. We could see snow in the distance, settling on top of the highest peaks, but never quite making its way to our front door. But I could feel it coming.
The next morning, I woke up to a world gone white. And every day this week, although the white stuff has come and gone again and again, I’ve been able to crunch it beneath my boots, catch it on my tongue, admire flakes and flurries from my windows, and toss a small snowball or two with my people.
I know I’ll be sick of the stuff by the time February rolls around. But right now, during these first few snow days, I’m enchanted by the change, happy to stay inside a little more for a while, excited to bundle into my warmest layers and beanies anytime I venture outside.
A view of our first snow from my kitchen window ⤵
In the mornings now, I lean into all the hygge coziness I can find. I light a candle, open my journal, pick up a good book, make a coffee, eat a hearty breakfast, pull out a few extra blankets, stoke the fire, try to get back into my daily watercolor and writing practice, and read through yesterday’s grateful list.
I’ve abandoned my usual daily reader, letting her stay on the shelf for a while in favor of new books ~ finishing up Today Was Fun and diving headlong into Sue Monk Kidd’s gorgeous new non-fiction book (it’s SO good ~ more later). And I’m slowly but surely dipping my toes back into something that inevitably captures my attention every winter ~ vision boarding.
My morning reading spot ⤵
In the evenings, I make dinner, watch a show with the family, text my college kiddo, read, try to get better at MTG, try not to work too late (even though there’s not that much else to do), read some more. The sun sets just after 4pm. We start losing light just after 3:30. The days are short, the nighttime hours long.
This is the way it goes in our little corner of New England. I remember this part. And even though this time last year, I was 90% sure I wanted to leave these long, cold, dark days and nights behind for good, desperately hoping my little family might find our next home back in the South, close to our extended family, here I am again. Our #ontheroadagain adventure achieved its purpose ~ it showed us where we belong, where we’re meant to put down roots, where we feel most at home. Here, in Maine.
I love it.
But I know enough to know that I don’t know much. I don’t know what the future holds. I don’t know how I’ll feel this time next year, or even this time next week. But today, I love a life that’s lived in seasons and embracing those seasons in every way possible. That’s officially my jam ~ today. Today is all I can speak for, but that’s okay, because today is what I have right now.
⊹⊹⊹
If you live in a place that’s wintry and dark right now, too, I hope you don’t hate your current season. I hope you don’t dread the days ahead. Because we have a bit more darkness to endure before the light starts returning (solstice-speaking, at least). But,
The light will return.
The sun will tilt our way again.
Until then, there’s loads to do ~ hot drinks to drink, journals to fill, friends to call, masterpieces to make, sales emails to delete and unsubscribe from, and so many good books to read (& a few good articles linked in the paragraphs above and in the Book Club archives if you like free, joy-inducing reading material:)
And should you need a friend, I’m only an email away.
Always.
💛
Celeste
