Delights: February 5 to February 11

February 5: Ah, snow. The sparkling crystals. The magical shapes of familiar objects. The cheery greetings of neighbors bundled and eager. Nevertheless, I suppose I welcome the melting snow if it comes with bright sun, mild air and the chirps of a dozen robins hopping about on a newly bare tree.

February 6: My son Nate and I turned down a street we didn’t know in a neighborhood we were still discovering. The street pointed arrow-straight in the darkness to a tiny bright Ferris wheel in the distance, glowing in turns indigo blue, poppy red, and purple. Jewel colors and a bit of mystery in the winter sky.

February 7: I went for walk on a sun-bright day, seeking the place where the marshes meet the river and, eventually, the ocean. I drank in the waving grasses and sinuous channels. When I saw a young heron strolling down her liquid sidewalk, my delight was complete.

February 8:  I stretched and reached on this rainy morning, alternating stillness and flow during my yoga practice. The crepe myrtle beyond the window mirrored my poses. Then it went perfectly still: at its tips, it balanced raindrops as big as berries, berries as big as raindrops. 

February 9: Oh my hair, my pandemic hair. It’s long enough for brushing. Long enough even for curlers. At last, a rescue team of razors and scissors excavated “my look,” leaving behind enough gray and silver clusters on the floor to knit a cozy sweater. 

February 10: I watched Jeremiah whoop and holler as heroes and villains piloted starships through an anime universe. I didn’t fully understand the stakes on the TV show, despite my son’s sincere and patient teaching. But his unabashed pleasure gave me such joy.

February 11: Ok, this amazes me: my wee blog, with 102 kind followers, has been viewed this past month in New Zealand, Canada, France, Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom, Sweden, China, South Africa, Germany and Romania — in addition to the United States. I don’t know how you found me, but if you found a morsel of delight I hope you visit again. And send me pictures or delights from where you are!

Bonus: Savor these beautiful photos from a New Zealand summer garden in Thistles and Kiwis, “A blog about a Scottish woman, who lived in Denmark, and moved to New Zealand.” I think you’ll enjoy her accounts of Wellington outings, garden glory, and simple delights as much as I do.

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