I’ve been sluggish this week, but good and exciting things have still been happening.  We finally had a day with temperatures in the low 40s, and it felt so warm after the sub-freezing stretch we’ve experienced.  We were used to this in Minnesota, but it’s unusual in the Mid-Atlantic.  I like that the snow is taking its time to melt, but it was nice to get out and walk a few days this week.  I’ve been marching inside to get more steps in, and while it gets the job done, it’s a little boring.  Winter is my favorite season, but I do find my mind wandering towards Spring.  It tends to be my most productive time for home projects, and I’m looking forward to making more progress in our yard.  I am also looking forward to the longer days.  It’ll be here before we know it, though, so I’ll enjoy

I went out for a walk yesterday morning for the first time since the late January snowstorm.  It was just over 20 degrees, but it was sunny and ended up being a pleasant walk.  The temperatures in our area have remained below freezing, so all of the snow is still covering the ground and pushed up against the curbs.  It felt a little bit like being back in Minnesota, where the snow falls, and remains until the Spring.  As a lover of snow, I have really missed that.  Snow in the mid-Atlantic region usually falls, turns to slush, and melts within a few days if not sooner.  It’s been a pain for parking downtown, and many turn lanes still aren’t plowed properly, but I’ve enjoyed the snow and cold while it’s here. Here are my four things for the week: Van Gogh, Many Beautiful Things, reckless trust, and book work.

I usually write in the morning.  It’s when my mind is fresh, and the words flow best.  But this morning, as I eyed a ball of cat hair fluff scurry across the studio floor, I decided to get the vacuum, dust cloth, and tidy things up beyond just a quick hit with the vacuum.  I moved everything sitting on surfaces (which is a lot of things), and vacuumed every bit of cat hair and dust I could spot.  I put things away that have been hanging out on the counter or my desk, waiting for a home.  I didn’t get into the nitty-gritty of organizing some of the problematic storage spaces, but I did get the studio squeaky clean, which felt really good. Now, I am ready to write and then paint.   what I’m reading Instead of sharing something I’m reading, I’m going to share a book I wish