The Quiet Season

I imagine I am in the minority, but I really love the "quiet" of winter that settles in during January and typically continues into February.  Though, if I'm honest with myself, I really just love the seasons as they change.  Except summer.  I have a bias against summer...for some reason we don't really get along!  In January and February, it always seems like life slows down a bit.  Maybe it is just the comparison of January to December (usually the busiest month of all!), but I like having time here and there where I have nothing planned.  That is a rarity in my current life.

My last 2 winters have been a bit busy (2010-just got engaged, 2011-settling into marriage and our new home), so I'm happy that this one is a bit quieter.  I also tend to get a nesting instinct in January...lots of cleaning, organizing, and cooking.  After a busy fall, I love looking at my calendar and seeing weekends with only one or two obligations or engagements, if any at all.  Life settles back into a routine in January/February, and that is where I am most comfortable.  It feels a bit like I have a chance to catch up on rest, life, and priorities. 

So far this winter, our weather hasn't quite felt like winter.  Though I generally complain when it is bitterly cold, this year I am missing the week or two where we have temps that don't go above freezing.  Those are the times that I most enjoy hot baths, hot drinks, soup, and snuggling under a down comforter.  We've had a few cold nights this year, but nothing like years past!  However, I am happy to do without the snows and blizzards of the past few years.  A fair trade-off, I suppose.

So while I have some social engagements, performances, and fun things planned for the next few months, you're most likely to find me somewhere in my house cooking, cleaning, or some other form of being domestic.  Or watching a movie in preparation for the Oscars.  We've got about 7 more left to see before the big show (and our big party).  Guess I'll be preparing for that in the coming weeks, as well!