February 1st

This month is going to be crazy beautiful amazing and busy. February always is intense, being the "Hungry Moon" when we see a peak in coyote predation and injuries, a series of severe ice and snow storms, high winds, and ice damage, and usually illness strikes our home in some form.

Usually. Let's not this year. Coyotes will now have to contend with a mature Pyrenees livestock guardian dog. We can deal with whatever weather Iowa can throw at us. Illness can wait. I can only pray that it can hold off until I return from the East Coast, though I know the stress  of my absence. will lower the children's immune function, we can only hold the line with healthy food, good sleep, and good hygiene.

Maple season is just around the corner and we will be drunk on sap and sugaring. The steam from the boil will stiffen our pores and hair and clothes and be the sweetness of our song. That heralds Spring for us.

I have several things I am writing about, soon to polish up and publish here and some to publish there. Things that I am excited about, proud of, and writing for pure joy of playing with words and landscapes.

I am grateful for friends and family. Especially the cheering section that greets me daily with encouragement and kindness. I am also grateful for something called a Megabus. More on that in a bit.

So into February we adventure on. February we stand in the lingering darkness of winter, dreaming of sunshine and green things. We let the memories of soft rains and gentle green things pushing up lullaby us to sleep while the wind still howls and fiercely bites, knowing that warmth and strawberries and picnics and playing outside all day until we are muddy and exhausted and happy are on the way, waiting for us, waiting for the earth to turn once again into this season.

Cheers and good times, y'all!