Bright Spots in a Bleak Winter

[Stella]

Thanks Wildflower! My oldest, Cheyenne, will be seven in a month and my second kid, Bella, is five and a half. You know how important those half years are at five. They are such fun ages! We are all over the American Girl doll tea parties and cooking together over here too. Have fun with your granddaughter!

[Rosemary]

Today's bright spot: it is SUNNY and the sun even feels WARM despite the high temp of 7 degrees. Now it feels like winter actually will come to an end soon.
Another bright spot: I just checked the forecast and it's supposed to be 38!! on Sunday. I am feeling SO much better than a couple of days ago, when the winter doldrums were in full force.

[Stella]

Yes! 38 is practically spring when it happens in Feb!

[Bluecat]

My bright spot in the bleak Winter has to be quite literally the woodburner. Best thing we ever bought, pumps out heat and far more economical than the heating system. Turn off all the main lights and stick our fairy lights on coupled with a few candles our living area is warm and cosy. I use the ash to fertilise the soil on my allotment - the rhubarb seems to thrive on the potash.

My other bright spot is our monthly social crafting evenings at our local pub - each month we hold workshops and this winter included felting bangles, sock monsters and beading workshops to name a few. I'm part of a collective and help organise these evenings - we don't charge for people who just want to come along with their knitting, sewing etc but we make a small charge for the workshop (to pay the tutor primarily). I've met so many lovely people and the room is alive with conversation as people compare and discuss. I think engendering community spirit in the long winter months is very important.

[fidgiegirl]

38?!!!!??!!!

Happy dance.

[fidgiegirl]

My ski race last Sunday was a bright spot. Can't do that with no snow

The sun was still up when we got home at 5:12. Definite (literal) bright spot.

Tonight I am going to be productive. I need a night that I don't fritter away on the computer and in front of the TV. That will be a bright spot. On the docket: laundry, baking a huge squash for lunches and soup, making some pasta sauce from a new recipe, answering a long e-mail from a Girl Scout leader and writing a new e-mail to a GS Council staffer.

[Stella]

My cleaning rampage totally paid off. I had such a nice fresh feeling when I sat in my clean dining room drinking my coffee this morning.

I think tonight is going to be a date night. I love it.

[fidgiegirl]

My DSiL ordered us a bulb garden. It is going to bloom in a day or two. Just thinking of it makes me giddy.


bulb garden by fidgiegirl, on Flickr

[Stella]

I love it fidgiegirl! Flowers make everything better this time of year.

Today's bright spot is that the final wall in my new bedroom is going to be painted and the pretty chandelier-like light fixtures are going up! We're ordering the carpet on Friday. I am so flipping excited I can hardly stand it.

[Crystal]

Cardinals in the snow. My chickens sharing their food with them. The little black kitten coming to the back door to beg for food. Warm cats. Dogs in the snow. Honking geese overhead. Thinsulite boots. Coffee. Soup. Chocolate.