Friday, January 21, 2022

January Days

A cloudless day in January can be a glorious thing. As I write this post, the sky is clear and palest blue; on the horizon is a rosy flush, turning gold and apricot as the sun approaches. There, it's up, and the shadowy blue-grey snow outside is lightening visibly every second. If the weather holds, the day to come will be bright blue and sparkling white, with tracery of trees standing out clear and sharp against the sky. (Some of them not so sharp after all; last year's long autumn coaxed many to bud out before their time, and their outlines are still feathery.)

Then there are days like last Sunday, when I took these photos. Clouds lay like a heavy blanket above the earth; a fine dry snow was falling, growing heavier as I walked, blurring and softening the lace of the trees. The world seemed a grey and brown sort of place, but there was still beauty to be found.

Tiny dried blossoms:


The miracle of snow on my jacket...


...and on the ground:


An avenue of lacy trees:


Lichen on bark (with more of that lovely snow):


Ghosts of Queen Anne's Lace:


Marvelously sculptural dried flowers:


Bud-beaded twigs:


An intricately-veined leaf in the snow, with bonus berries attached:


Birdsong from the tangle of branches around a pond:

On my way home, a train whistle sounded from the next town over. In summer, that sound would make me long to be out riding my bike. On a cold grey January day, it made me grateful for a warm house at the end of the road, and I walked a little faster to get there more quickly.

~ ~ ~

I'm sorry this blog has been silent for so long. When my dad died last year, the urge to write and create seemed to die along with him. But time really does heal wounds, and the creative (and communicative) urge is finally coming back.

How have your January days been?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

14 comments:

  1. Lovely wintry scenes from your part of the world. A snug home is indeed appreciated in the cold days of January. We have had a lovely period this month of sunny days and blue skies, though the temperatures are pretty low!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh such a lovely post. I have missed your beautiful writing, photos and you. Thank you for sharing your talents with us all again. I can almost see his smile from heaven beaming down to you now sweet friend. Blessings to you always. ((hugs))

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovely to see you posting, your words and your photos are beautiful as always. Take care. xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. What great photos! We had a nice walk today, too; the fog lifted and the skies turned blue!

    ReplyDelete
  5. It's nice reading from you.

    January has been cold so far, however life inside friends' houses is vibrant. :-) I go for a walk every day and enjoy the beauty of nature. However, I like the landscape better during the lush season.

    All the best!

    ReplyDelete
  6. So glad to see your fantastic pictures again and "hear" your voice!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your ability to see beauty is phenomenal. I love your photos.
    The beauty you see will help you on your healing journey.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy to see you again. We each travel the journey of losing someone in our own way. Hoping you find peace and happiness as the year moves on. Sending love and hugs.
    Sharon

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your snowy photos are gorgeous. In February, it will be 3 years since my Dad passed away. I do know what you mean. Sending you hugs, my friend. xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great to have you back. I have missed your descriptive posts and beautiful images. Such a wonderful vivid description of the gifts of nature. Indeed the beauty of Nature in its simplicity! Take care. Amanda x

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, how wonderful it is to "hear" your voice again and see life through your eyes! I had no idea how much I needed that! Maybe this will help me get back into the habit of being an active part of my blog community again. It feels as if it's been more than a lifetime since the last time I was able to really enjoy any blog! Yours always makes me so happy! Glad to have you back!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a marvelous return! So eloquent! Well, onward we go, yes??? :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Welcome back, Mrs. M.

    ReplyDelete
  14. When I saw your comment on my blog, I wondered why your posts were not showing up in my sidebar, and now I see that this post is from a whole year ago. I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your dad and I see from your latest post, also your sister. I will be commenting there in a moment. Take care of yourself. Big hugs.

    ReplyDelete

I love comments! Speak on....