random thoughts – Day 1,782 – (Saturday) – halfway

Depending on which source is consulted, February first (or second, or third) is the halfway point to spring. Kind of the hump day of the winter. In my mind, it is like the tallest peak on a roller coaster and now it’s just a thrill ride to the finish, in this case, spring.

Emails from seed and plant catalogues arrive all year long, and I look at them all year long, even though I don’t buy anything. In winter, I look at the growth along the fence line that wasn’t trimmed and is thought of of as my “winter garden” which makes it feel more deliberate. It’s really just the fallout from reading about leaving seeds for birds and ground cover for critters.

Winter garden.

The catalogues are an opportunity to wonder what might complement the tricky rose bush, the irises, and the day lilies, Wildflower gardens and walkways are imagined to replace the lawn, established as a status symbol in the 1700s and still in play today, for reasons I don’t understand.  But researching plants, ordering, getting them into the ground and keeping them alive feels like work, so it stops with the fantasy.

Snow arrived Friday night to mark the midpoint of winter and more flitted in the air today. Lines of small bird tracks crossed the backdoor landing and the driveway. A quick shoveling session cleared the heavy, wet snow from the driveway and stairs, which revealed the slick asphalt. The downspouts were frozen solid, and the heating system was plugged in to attempt to deal with it.

Bird tracks at the back door.

Beyond the shoveling and a load of laundry, not a lot else was done. Events including the monthly open studios at Western Ave Studios were considered and overruled. There was the potential for artistic inspiration, but there was also the potential temptation of spending money on art pieces that there is no space to display. There are already several drawers and shelves heaped with art in need of wall space. 

Even if every room in the house was hung salon style, it wouldn’t accommodate everything and would probably feel too busy and drive me nuts. Collecting (hoarding!) books, artworks, and art and craft supplies is real. It is also different than reading books, ordering from plant supply catalogues, and using said art and craft supplies.