February

Even as a little kid, February always felt like the hardest month of the year to me. The cold has been well settled in since November and we've endured the 31 days apiece that December and January has to offer. In November the winter is just beginning, in December we are filled with holiday spirit, and in January we are ready to relax from the previous year and start fresh with a new one. By the time February rolls around, however, we are well settled in the new year and March is on the horizon with hopes of spring. Even with only 28 days (29 on occasion) the ever-present slow and cold temperatures makes February feel like the longest month of the year. And even with each days awarding us a few more moments of daylight, the darkness of winter still feels heavy.

In the last days of January we were hit with the first hearty snow storm I've seen in Vermont since arriving. Even with so many cold days the lack of snow afforded some relative ease to winter life. Driving was safer and I was always dry from the ankles up. It certainly felt like a kick in the face when four inches appeared in the wee hours of the morning and I drove into the bakery on unplowed roads. Clearly, winter is still here and here to stay for a while yet.

Even in all the snowy beauty and the constant stimulus of new people and places, the old heavy feeling of February bared down on me today. Tired of cold and yearning for spring bike ride and summertime shorts. Even to get down to my lighter coat would be a plus.

I keep reminding myself to be in the present moment and appreciate it for what it is. Each time I check the weather for the day, sunrise is nearly at 7am and sundown has just about stretched to 5pm. Truly glorious progress. We've had more sunny days here than cloudy ones which is an amazing phenomena for a northern state. And honestly, the snow is beautiful and offers you things that no other season can. It allows you to walk across frozen streams that you'd be hard pressed to traverse in warmer temperatures. The way the snow clings to trees branches is magic and grace. And when the sun shines, it's brighter thanks to the reflection of the snow. There is a lot to be grateful for.

This February I'd like to work to turn over anew, as far as Februarys go. Keep the fresh momentum of January resolutions going. Find ways to stay bright in the cold dark winter days. Keep the body healthy and the mind clear. And keep watching the sun reclaim small bits of either side of the day.

Finnish, helmikuu: "month of the pearl"Polish and Ukrainian, luty or лютий: the month of ice or hard frost.Macedonian, sechko (сечко): the month of cutting [wood]Czech, únor: the month of submerging [of river ice]
Croatians, veljača: the meaning is unknown but may come from the word for "greater," a possible reference to the days increasing in length