wintering

The beauty of living in the Pacific Northwest is spring’s early, heady arrival. Winter does not drag on into March, April, and May like it does in some other parts of the country. In the Pacific Northwest, spring arrives in a burst, and you know it’s here to stay. In just a few short months, the first daffodils will burst forth. Dandelions will pepper the lawn. The birds will be more bountiful, their birdsong louder in celebration of the return of life — of spring.

Of course, spring still has plenty of wet, dark, rainy, grey days. But, there is a new undertone, one that differs from the same dark, rainy days that we experience in the early winter months. The light itself is brighter, the colors of the fields begin to pop with yellows and pinks, the trees carry buds, and the days stretch longer.

But, not yet. It is still winter, and there is still much wintering to be done. This letter is to remind ourselves that soon — not yet, but soon — winter will have passed, and with it the opportunity to burrow. To nestle. To cozy up. To do all of the things that winter encourages.

We want to eat a steaming bowl of soup for dinner and tuck ourselves into bed before 9pm. We want to bury ourselves under thick, heavy blankets. We want to wake in the dark, light candles, and soak in the orange morning stillness. We want to flip the pages of our book by the fire. We want to enter the coffee shop with a scarf wrapped tightly around us, and remark on the chill outside. We want to pour boiling water over a tea bag and watch it swirl. We want to sleep in and still have it be dark outside when we awake.

Soak up the season that you are in. Because soon, the candles will have all burned down, and spring will arrive. Happy wintering.

All images from Pinterest.