the Twentieth of January, Two Thousand and Twelve

Moon Moomin Washington McNish

...you will be sorely missed. Goodbye, sweet friend.

winter freezes

What was it? The second snow of the year? Well I went out and documented the scene... I'll take whatever I can get! Next time I just need a romp around partner!

"nature kids, they don't have no function"

..a line from an all time favorite of mine, Pavement. But, am I a nature kid?...

Sorel, Caribou  - Love

And it's raining today. Still warm out, still brown out, brown-out. Thought I'd put on my iron-clad weather protection boots that I can't promote enough (love you, Sorel Caribou, love you) and trudge around to the side of the house to do some gardening. Uh huh. Dressed in a rain coat, some mittens callin' for a muddying, and the beloved boots, I dragged on through the thicket and the muck wielding an extendable pair of hedge clippers, pruning sheers, a small rake, snow shovel, and the saddest iTunes playlist you could want on a dark January day. I hacked away at dead shrubs and the occasional, heartbreaking, premature, springy green growth that inhabits my little garden plot. I completely uprooted a plant that I have always loathed, one that spouse has always cherished for its evil, sun-blocking, "privacy" vines, threw its wild tendrils into a manic pile of downed, heavy branches and newly decimated ivy growth, and then stood back laughing at it while holding my hedge clippers high to the sky and bouncing up and down. I feel so accomplished. I say - take that, January! I mock you with every pinch of my sheers! No snow? No bugs! No reason not to garden.

snow-less-ness

Good morning.

I believe my eyes, yes I do indeed, when I look out the windows and see what I only knew I'd see because I do check the forecast, but oh, I am so put off when my eyes blur from the overload of brownness and malnourished rot they spy on the snow-less ground. Not even a speck of ice today, not a puddle formed on the desperate and parched sidewalks. It is January and I used to think that the first month of the year meant I would indulge in a little seasonal shivering, layered in sweaters and wooly things, marching around in giant, weather proofed outer-gear. But now it seams that January is just a big ugly disappointment, a browned out let down! And a boo oo oo to that. I can only parade around in my favorite of earmuffs and my mountainous Sorrel boots, which sadly never get to proper use, when I am willing to look the fool in a light dusting of flakes and breezes worthy of springtime blooming! Maybe I should go back to bed... Can someone wake me around six to eight inches?

and then it was 2012

Well, let's see... 2012 eh? I haven't even considered making a resolution. In fact, I am trying to recall if I made one last year or the year before that... I vaguely recollect yawning and being nearly bored to death watching the ball drop somewhere in between switching through the major networks and MTV. At some point I see myself tipping back the dregs of my champagne glass, thinking that I would like 2011 to be a happier, less stress filled year where the brand new spouse and I would smile more and poke and prod less, a year where the stars would align, in my favor, to put all things right, and a year in which I would be a bit less of a grouch grouch and more of a shimmering angel spreading love and kindness throughout my day...or I would at least not be quite so judgmental and pessimistic (those are the same thing right - an Angel, an Optimist?). And assuming that was my version of a New Year's resolution, just how did 2011 really stack up? Well, I feel like I grew much and learned a lot about myself. I have a year of marriage under my belt and things are actually looking more complicated by the day, but we did find a way to navigate through tricky moments. I managed to firmly close the door on some rueful sadness, to stand my ground where I needed to be firmly planted, and as for being more angelic - ahem - I would really need to survey some of my dear friends to accurately report on that one!

In the end, right up to 11:59 pm, I felt like the year whizzed right by and whatever happened, I am okay with it. So moving on and into the future, today I say, "Hello Twenty-Twelve! How do you do?" I have resolved to simply buckle in and take it as it comes!  -peace out-

The last dog attack of 2011. Gabby Dickerson Dog