The thing about winter is its beauty.
Very early this morning, I start my daughter’s car before she heads to work. Beneath the stars, it’s cold, and dawn is pushing away the night. The winter dawn is pale blue, like the edge of the ocean.
Inside, our house is warm, the cats fed and sleeping. I have piles of work to do and that makes me happy because it’s all hard but all worth doing.
My teenager is deeply immersed in a book series — and I’m insanely happy about that, too. She’s lusting after a driver’s license, a relocation to California, but, in the meantime, she’s still here, and, willingly or not, has agreed to come with me on a small expedition I’ve conjured, to discover the headwaters of a local river. Her older sister advises, It’s easier just to do those kind of things…
It’s somewhere in November. Time to knit to red sweater. If I use fingerling yarn, this project could last me months…..
Stony Soil Vermont 
Sage sister advice. The sweater sounds lovely — a season of memories knitted together.
Of course this is all in my imagination yet…. but I am on the prowl for good red yarn 🙂
Planning indoor winter projects and yearning for quality yarn reminds me of the excellent “Shave ’em 2 Save’em” project that works to match endangered heirloom sheep producers to wool artisans and project users. Look it up on social media. Some people get initial “sticker shock” at some of the crafted products, but recall these are true hard scrabble (Vermont-like) farmers that are not multi-thousand acre farm renters of hedge fund owned lands. Your craft- and the sheep and their shepherds-will benefit. GT
PS- When are the cats NOT sleeping:). GT
PSS- Dorothy- Your August scallop and apple cider recipe rocked, even though the kids ate most of mine too! GT
Again, something new I’ve learned from you, GT. I’d never heard of the “Shave ’em 2 Save’em” project.
And, true to expectations, the cats ARE sleeping. (Sunday is their day off from a heavy work-week of napping.)
I owe you some learnings, Brett. Before your blog while I had heard of haiku I thought “tanka” was a misspelling of a toy truck company name:). You maintain an excellent blog of the real world with parenting, poetry and nature “glitter”. GT
Which river headwaters? Your sojourns are often places I used to explore with my kids (or by myself). I love learning about new places to check out!
The Lamoille — actually rescheduled for today. Let me know if you’ve been there, or have advice!
GT, I can’t thank you enough for your kind words in gray November. While some of my readers I’ve known for years (and some all my life), I’m always curious about the readers I don’t know, and I’m always appreciative of comments.
And… as a PS…. that blue Honda has reappeared, without an engine, behind an apartment building, but definitely not abandoned. More on a hiatus from driving, apparently, at the moment.
Ah yes, the current Hardwick stalwart is the irrepressible blue Honda. Last year I think it sat all winter without a sternum (hood), and now it sits without a heart (motor). When the new motor returns, will it have phantom memories of its old body, and will the body miss its old heart? Questions to be answered….time will tell:) GT