The Solitary Joys Of January

Winter’s hold is tight in January, as the house creaks and the furnace hums. 
Outside the trees are frosted with ice that sparkle in the sunshine. 
The sliding door protests and needs extra encouragement to open. 
Topaz, my thirteen-year-old Sheltie passes through to brave the
frigid landscape.  The morning doves scatter with her arrival,
but soon return to continue enjoying their breakfast feast.
The crisp morning air tickles your nostrils as the snow crunches underfoot.
The cold seems animated as it rouses Topaz to quickly return to our cozy,
warm home, bringing along winter’s fresh scent.

The cold of January is such that one must live in the moment. 
The stillness outside resonates throughout the house. 
It brings with it a time for reflection, when life slows down after
the holiday who-haw flurry.  January, my time to renew emotionally
and to restore some order to my house. I tear apart cupboards and make
room for the clarity that sparseness brings.

You’re coaxed to your kitchen with calls for comfort foods,
cooking spicy savoury stews, tomato sauces, casseroles,
chicken pot  pie and the like. You find yourself craving
sticky sweet deserts like butter pecan tarts, apple pie, and banana bread. 
The aroma of baking these delights fill your home to perfection.

Yes, the solitary joys of January, where days are shorter and nights are long.
A time where I curl up with my stacks of magazines, ponder over the memories
evoked by perusing photos from the past year and drink in the inspiration it evokes. 
It’s a time when I yearn for comfort through the tranquil seclusion that winter brings. Now, for some peaceful musings in front of the fire, while enjoying a
steaming hot tea and the sweet desert fresh from the oven.

ღ Hεlεɳa ~.^