We sat on the porch tonight for the first time since Autumn. The evening air was mild, the trees bare-limbed, the sky crossed with pastel clouds and flocks of geese and little bats…the mosquitoes biting. Truly, it was so lovely, but those mosquitoes surprised me!As we sat and watched the sky and chatted, I felt grateful for the light and soft breezes, but relieved that the trees were still bare…for I haven’t quite caught up with myself and the weeks just past. I need a few more days to chronicle our small home festivals and imagine tucking away our Winter life before we meet the Spring and our last home festival of the season….

 

valentinetable

A dear son’s birthday, Valentines Day….and in just a few days…my own birthday. A very special one, for I will turn 50 on Wednesday. Back in January, when my deario asked me how I wanted to honor such a milestone, sharing a few of his own lovely ideas, it came to me in a flash that I wanted only to get to England again. From that moment, nothing else tempted, and we decided that we would accomplish it-tho’ we haven’t come into inheritances or won the lottery since the last time we hoped to manage it-I just knew it would be possible this time, this year.

And so it seems to be.

We have a friend that we will stay with, we found affordable plane tickets after much research, we have arranged for my brothers to take care of my mom, we found a window of time between college and summer jobs and gigs so that we will be together in the land I love and haven’t set foot upon in twenty-five years.

It is a very powerful thing, this turning 50 years old. It has been bringing clearness and focus to me, as it approaches, in little ways and big. I will have more to share about that in the days to come.

Oh no, but it can make you brave!

 

And as I am finished “wrapping up” the last of our Winter days, here is a photo that matches today, on the cusp of Spring.