Here Comes the Sun!

Yes, it's Groundhog Day! One of my favorite days of the year. It's the day that falls smack dab in the middle between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. That means, as of today, the days begin getting longer faster. We've reached the steep part of the bell curve of day length.  It's already noticeable, but we're going to start gaining minutes instead of seconds every day. 

So, whether the groundhog sees a shadow today or not, it's definitely a day to celebrate. We've made it through the darkest weeks of our annual spin around our star and sunnier days are ahead. 

Some years ago, I carved a groundhog crawling out of its burrow to check on its shadow. I even wrote a silly couplet and carved that, too. I sent quite a few prints out as cards and some of you may have received one. Hmmm.... maybe next year I'll pull those old carvings out and print one to post in celebration of the day. :)

Anyway, I invite you to celebrate one of my favorite holidays with me. Happy Groundhog Day!!

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

I ran across this poem the other day and Robert Frost's words have struck again.  Especially on this solstice - the darkest evening of the year.  So, here's the poem with a few snowy pictures to go along with it. No horses or harnesses, though. Sorry about that. :)

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Somehow, his words capture the peaceful hush of the snowy woods and trails.

And the solitude, with only the horse and whisper of the wind for company.

The "miles to go before I sleep" lines made me feel a reluctance to leave the quiet of that wood to dive back into the holiday season's bustle with all the preparations for gathering to celebrate with those we love. Things do get a little hectic at times! (I thought the turkey tracks went well with the bustling....) 

Happy Solstice!! The days start getting longer again from here and I'm ready for the shift.

A Frost-y MorningI

With the wind, rain and snow of the last week, we have gone well past peak colors, but I always like to inflict a few pictures from my more colorful wanderings upon my unwary audience at some point during the fall. 

There are a couple of days every autumn on which I find myself reciting Robert Frost as I ramble through the forest. If you're interested, you are invited to ramble and recite with me. And so, I present:

 

The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

 

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

 

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

 

 

I hope it was as pleasant an outing for you as it was for me. At the very least, Robert Frost is always worth reading. :)