It's winter here in the Midwest and the Holiday season is over. For many, this can be a tough time of year. It's grey out more often than not and the day to day life often means driving on wretchedly ice covered and snow covered roadways. It's also a time of stark beauty and subtle hues
The pines take on a new significance as you try to count the number of green shades you can see in them. Their shapes are made clear when the branches of the deciduous trees are bare. Red from Holly and Bittersweet berries are a punctuation in the landscape. Browns become warm and cool against white backdrops of snow and each snowflake is a marvel against your coat sleeve. It's time to read, to bake, to practice some yoga, plan for next year's garden. And of course, it's time to paint.
This time of year can be hard on some people. Because it's cold and gets dark early and the roads can be treacherous. But it is also a time to rest and plan for the next year. To daydream of all the flowers you'll plant or sketch out a new chicken coop, build a birdhouse or read a book that changes your life. Our lives are so busy in the spring, summer and fall that this is the time to plan for those and also to rest from last year.
