Making Peace with Winter

I am a Summer Girl. It can't get hot enough or sunny enough for me. And in Ohio, both qualities are precious and in short supply.

So it's mid-January, grey, cold and snowy and for years I've "girded my loins" to deal with winter. With layers, and shivering and the dry air in my house. By March, serious cabin fever has set in.

This year, I'm seeing the beauty in winter, and not just the blue twilight on the snow. Watching a family of squirrels play around the oak tree reminds me to lighten up and play. Standing outside watching Rhett, our rescued Coonhound romp in the snow and hearing a lone bird call gives me a connection to nature that I readily feel in the warm weather, but neglect to look for, in the cold.

And, it's a time of introspection and meditation, made easier by the early nightfall (and lack of quality TV programming.) So far, I've been able to lower my blood pressure with the meditation and exercise. Been a little lean on the exercise, but more on that later.