Winter Doldrums
(Click to enlarge)
It is frigid outside and has been for a few days now. It is frigid in many parts of the country. The holidays have come and gone. Now begins the nitty gritty of hard winter work. I find myself listless and not wanting to go out or exercise or paint or take pictures or do much of anything I usually love to do. I have a cold but that does not excuse this lassitude and when I go to my favorite deli, I find that Terry is in the same mood. “I was ready to go home the moment I came in,” she said. And I wondered. My husband was dour and I was sour. What is this? Could it be some vestigial remnants of human hibernation? Maybe we should hibernate for awhile each winter. We binge on food and drink over the holidays. Perhaps we should be sleeping off the extra pounds.
I who love winter and live for Fall each summer find myself longing to hear the music of the spring peepers. It is months away– well, about a month and a half away. They are the first harbingers of new life for me. Terry, who also loves winter, tells me today she is sick of winter. Perhaps it is this string of Arctic air and grey days and icy road conditions. Perhaps it is the human condition to always be dissatisfied with something or other.
I miss the squirrels. It has been so cold they seem to be laying low in their nests. Judging from the tracks in the back yard the only animals on the move are the deer. And as much as I love the silence of winter, I find myself longing for the sweet dulcet music of birdsong at mating season in spring.
We bought this calendar that has a celestial map of the sky for each month so you can find the constellations in the night sky. But it has been too overcast or too cold or too something. We have yet to go out with flashlights and match the map with the canopy of stars. But I am still humbled in a dazzled psyche over the view of the stars through the stripped down trees that we see out our window from bed every night.
Then again maybe it is laziness. Too many sugar highs in December have led to a deep low in February. And with a tease of spring one day in which the temperature reached almost 50 degrees maybe we were let down even further. Not liking being unproductive I think I can overcome this– but maybe the thing is to go with the flow and allow a period of inactivity, let the land lay fallow, so that an increase in productivity may eventually result.
Maybe the thing to do is not to panic. Spring will come. Hopefully, if man has not destroyed all the vernal pools, the spring peepers will return and, if pesticides have not destroyed all the birds, sweet mating songs will be sung and bees and other insects will buzz. And if the weather turns more clement, our spirits will once again soar and we will be busy buzzing with the business of living.
(Click to enlarge)
MOONSIDE 
You are so perceptive! The grey of winter is heavy on so many, especially where you live and in the Midwest where I’m from. I used to think if February went one day longer, it would be too much to bear. I don’t think you’re lazy–your creative spirit is feeling the weariness of grey and dismal. I, too, look forward to the return of the spring birds–even here in Florida.
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February 5, 2023 at 2:07 PM
Thank you so much, Dayle❣️ Your comment was a bright spot in an otherwise grey day❣️ “Soon” as someone else wrote.
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February 5, 2023 at 9:26 PM
Ellen, your creativity and heart are precious. I’m grateful you choose to share them so vulnerably.
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February 6, 2023 at 10:41 AM
Thank you, dear Dayle. You have a very kind soul.
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February 6, 2023 at 2:10 PM
When it’s cold, it’s so easy to grab a blanket and sink into the sofa. And even though I bought a light for painting it’s not the same as the real thing.
But soon!
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February 5, 2023 at 9:05 PM
I just quoted you in the comment above. Thank you!
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February 5, 2023 at 9:37 PM
You are not alone with this kind of feelings. The end of the last year and the beginning of this one are very depressive because of the grey and boring weather. There are no many sunny days at all. Hopefully, Spring will bring to us Sun and Joy.
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February 6, 2023 at 8:14 AM
Yes, Spring will be here soon and hopefully people will feel better. Thank you for stopping by and commenting!
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February 6, 2023 at 2:33 PM
My pleasure🙂
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February 6, 2023 at 2:48 PM
Earlier I used to love the winter season but now I don’t like it at all, only because of the laziness it brings. Winters are the most unproductive time of the year. I wish I could go into hibernation too, lol!
I love spring and autumn. Spring season is my favorite time of the year!!
I loved those photographs. They looks like a beautiful painting!!
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February 6, 2023 at 11:05 AM
Yes, hopefully Spring will bring bright days and joy! I don’t mind the grey but the cold makes me want to hibernate. Used to love it!! Thanks for writing.
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February 6, 2023 at 2:13 PM
And thanks for liking the photographs! I like your art work so much so means a lot.
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February 6, 2023 at 2:34 PM
Bleakly beautiful photos, Ellen.
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February 6, 2023 at 10:23 PM
Thank you, dear Cheyenne! Means alot coming from your artistic eyes!!
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February 7, 2023 at 11:30 AM
Nice post it dear friend💕😊
Your posts are really so amazing👍
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February 7, 2023 at 6:56 AM
Thank you so much, dear friend❣️And many, many thanks for all the “likes”. I think I have liked every post I could find on your blog, too. 👍🙏🏽
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February 7, 2023 at 8:52 PM
Thank you so much dear friend!
This really means a lot to me! You are so kind dear friend!
I’m so happy to meet you 😉💕🤗
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February 8, 2023 at 7:38 AM
Well, I am very happy to have met such a totally positive person as yourself, dear Yaksh!! Sorry I am just getting to this comment now. Didn’t see it before. 💖💖🙏
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February 11, 2023 at 9:32 AM
Thank you so much dear Ellie!
Same here me too! And it’s always ok don’t take tension for that!
Have a nice day😊
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February 12, 2023 at 6:34 AM
Dear friend, I have left you a long comment on your astoundingly positive blog. I appreciate all the likes and this lovely comment. See my note to you❣️Let nothing change your outlook on life. Namaste, Ellen🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽❣️❣️❣️
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February 7, 2023 at 8:03 AM
Yaa I just saw it now dear friend!
That is really so kind of you that you gave such time in commenting!
Your comments is so lovely and you rocked dear💕
Namaste, Yaksh 😉💞💞
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February 8, 2023 at 7:40 AM
Thank you so much, dear friend, Yaksh❣️Namaste🙏🏽
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February 8, 2023 at 10:45 AM
That’s always a pleasure for me dear Ellen!
Namaste dear💕🤗💞😊
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February 9, 2023 at 6:20 AM
Beautiful picture 😍😍
I totally agree with you 😊
Waiting impatiently for summer 🌞
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February 7, 2023 at 11:44 AM
Thank you❣️ It will be here sooner than you think. 😊
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February 7, 2023 at 1:36 PM
The picture and the account is soo beautiful!!!!
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February 8, 2023 at 5:07 AM
Thank you so much, dear Raoul!!!!
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February 11, 2023 at 9:33 AM
Thank you so very much, Raoul!!!
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February 8, 2023 at 10:31 AM