Winter days -

The chilly grey days of winter are actually a favorite of mine.

These weeks after the busyness of the holiday season

are always a time of longing, planning, for mulling over

 changes perhaps required in one's life, for decluttering

 not only the home but also the mind.  

On what should I focus?

Of course this year is different in so many ways

already. Coming into it dragging the heavy baggage

of a world pandemic is very hard. Daily numbers keep 

climbing - illness, treatment, and sadly death, make 

each new day a struggle.

Procrastination seems to have taken over.

Do this or do that today?  Does it matter? Who knows

about the dust bunnies under the bed, or if a shower was 

skipped on a cold morning. Just splashing water on the face

 and pulling on the comfy clothing seems enough when

nobody comes to the door anymore.

I see signs, and I love many of them.

This one cheers me up. 

Perhaps embracing each day as part of the wonderful year, 

no matter the forces trying to pull us down in so many ways,

is the secret.

A Child's Garden of Verses

Robert Louis Stevenson

Illustrated by : Charles Robinson

Books, especially picture story-books mentioned in this verse,

are always a delight, taking us back to childhood when life was

 good, people were kind, words were gentle, and smiles were

 not blocked by masks. I have several books with pictures

and love looking through them on a winter day.

The holidays have gone now, they are a memory which will remain

 clouded by a time when the world was different and dangerous.

Our children and grandchildren will remember clearly, our great

 grandchildren hardly.  

For those of us now hoping for a vaccination preventing us from an

 illness which could take us to the brink, even fling us over the cliff edge, 

but which will give us more time to make up for what was lost last

 year. . . . . .our fingers are crossed, tightly.

Yearning to travel, see far flung family and friends again, walk in

beautiful places in the world, all is so missed.

Meanwhile the garden visitors bring joy. . . . . . 

. . . . . . . along with the precious warmth of home comfort whilst awaiting

 what will hopefully come later this year. . . . . .