Only 28 days, occasionally 29. A short month. But winter is long, and February sits at the tail end of that quiet, dull season … well, almost at the tail end. Here, in the Pacific Northwest, winter is a time of gray skies and rain. Not really much to complain about, I suppose—hardly any snow, seldom below freezing. And yet, by February, winter is beginning to feel long.
Long but not hopeless.
Nature reminds us that it will come back in due time. It always does. We can count on that. I look out one of my windows and what I see is a large maple. Right now, it’s all dun-colored bark and branches, faded moss and lichen against a gray sky. But it’s alive and well. I know that. I remember the bright green leaves from last year and the year before that. Now I may have to look closely to see the buds. And yet, they’re there.
The world keeps sending us hopeful signals: robins hopping, songbirds singing, the intrepid little crocuses that bloom in the chilly air.
Lenten roses that, refusing to give anything up for Lent, raise their petals to a not-so-sunny sky.
The buds on my rhododendron are fattening. By May, they’ll be busting out with new growth and blossoms, as lacy and pink as they were last year.
A few days ago, we had a couple of blue-sky days, a fantastic taste of spring, It brought the neighbors out. And ran into S who was out walking her new puppy. (He’s a real cutie.) S and I talked, catching up on some of our winter news while her husband chatted with friends across the street and another neighbor and his dog, out for a sunny-day walk, said hello.
Well, only eight more days of this short-long month. Before too long, this bed will be bright with yellow daffodils.
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Thanks for sharing pictures of beautiful flowers and spring buds! They do inspire and keep me hopeful.
One good thing about winter in WA, it makes you appreciate the flowers when they finally bloom.
Your weather sounds very similar to what we’ve had here in the southern UK – I’m surprised. Our daffodils are coming out though – and we’ve just had two beautiful days of sunshine…at a weekend too! The wind is quite chill though. Roll on May.
I’m not sure where you live in southern UK, but my latitude is 47.8 degrees. Our weather is generally mild. We’re on the water but not on the Pacific Ocean. We’re on Puget Sound, protected from the ocean by the Olympic Peninsula. So I don’t know whether our weather is comparable to yours. I too am looking forward to the flowers of May.
London – just Googled, we are 51.5…no one talks about latitude and longitude in the UK
That makes you farther north. I had to google it too.
Ally sent me! Hello from down south of you. (Puyallup) I don’t mind the winter as long as I have lots of coffee, good books and a warm house. I do look forward to spring and am already enjoying the extra light in the afternoon/evening.
Hi Margaret. And thanks to Ally. I lived in your neighboring town, Sumner, until I was ten years old. That’s a good list: coffee, good books, and a warm house.
Ally Bean sent me to check out your blog and I’m glad she did. It made me feel like spring is truly on it’s way even though I’m looking at snow here in Michigan at the moment.
Thank you to Ally Bean.
We had a little snow too yesterday. Fortunately it melted before noon. I hope your snow will melt away soon.
Ally Bean sent me 🙂 If you haven’t read her post on her new blogroll, it explains all!
A damaged back means gardening is not something I can indulge in, but I’m fortunate in having a small park just down the road where I can enjoy the changing of the seasons via the planting of the keen volunteers. It’s truly been my haven during the pandemic years.
Thank you to Ally Bean. I just visited your blog and signed up. I can see that I’m going to enjoy visiting again.
I had a big yard in my previous house. My current house, though, has a very small garden. So, I’m grateful to the many neighbors who do the work and share the beauty.
How lovely of you. As someone who was brought up overseas. I’m sure I’m going to enjoy your different take on the world.
Like you, our three daughters grew up overseas, spending their pre-college school years at the International School in Manila, and it’s obvious that it had a lasting effect on them and on their friendships and their appreciation of the world and its problems.
Lenten roses are on my radar as a possible plant for our garden. I think I have a good place for some. Your photos reminded me that spring is a’coming. Your blue sky is stunning.
I love Lenten roses and their ability to bloom when the other flowers are sleeping. Christmas roses are good too. My grandma had them in her yard, so she always had a bouquet of them on the table at Christmas.
You are making me long for a garden as well as the PNW rain that brings all that spring color!
It will be here soon. Actually I saw a large group of blooming daffodils after I posted this.
If winter comes… I think a poet said that.
I’d love your milder weather. We get some sun but not much. Mostly gray and gloomy with ping pong temperatures. Soon it will be warmer. Not a whole lot but just a little will be fine.
I do appreciate our mild weather. And yes, a little warmer will definitely be welcome.
I loved this post Nicki, it was very uplifting. We need to appreciate our northwest surroundings during these long winter days. Especially when the sun comes out earlier and lingers a little longer and we can spend more time outdoors. Thanks for that reminder!
I love the longer days! They’re a reminder to me to get out more, which I really must do. My sister always says, “There’s no bad weather. There’s only inappropriate clothing.” One advantage of clouds is that the sunsets can be really fascinating–all over the sky, not only in the west.
Yes, a walk in the rain can be just as nice (in different ways) as a walk in the sunshine, provided you have a rainjacket and boots!
Especially if it’s a light rain, which most often is what we have.
My brother and his fellow midshipman used to call the period after winter break “The Dark Ages.” Cold & dreary, with little to look forward to.
Usually this is SoCal’s rainy month, but it’s been mostly sunny and dry. So here I am, hoping for the wet, grey skies of the Dark Ages. 🙂
What you’re used to makes a lot of difference. Having grown up here, I’m used to our cloudy, rainy winters. But in recent years, I’ve started noticing that February would be a nice month for a little vacation someplace sunny. Noticing but not doing anything about it. During my freshman year in college at Seattle University, a few girls from Colorado and Hawaii dropped out around the end of Feb. On the other hand, my son-in-law, who’s from NJ, complains about our near lack of snow.
Beautiful photos, Nicki. The sky is such a vivid blue. So lovely.
The other day we had another snowfall. But I keep hearing birds. And no wonder: the snow was powdery.
Today the sun is out and the birds are singing!
Keep smiling, L. Marie. It’s coming. Spring is coming.