Lately I've felt there isn't much to share. My days consist of .... housework.
Outside there is wood to collect, clothes to hang then fold, pets to care for, you know, the usual.
Even though winter is far from my favorite season I still find ways to enjoy this time and make it as cozy as possible. Wool scarves, long jackets, tall socks, and hugs from my cute cats looking for some extra warmth.
Being huddled up inside during winter isn't much fun at all but, I must admit there are are some things that I do enjoy about winter ~ like the cute clothes and amazing views of the frosted landscape.
The other day we woke up to a beautiful sight to the east. Our local mountain range was covered in a sprinkling of snow! Here is the view from our yard.
Though super cold, the day was sunny and bright. Somehow I could bare the even colder temperatures outside to take a walk and admire the different angles of the mountains that I could see peaking out between the trees.
And something else so cozy about this season are those moments while I make dinner, sip my tea (or beer) and escape into a fantasy world via audiobooks. About a month ago I discovered the audiobook app called StoryTel (much cheaper than audible and with just as many books to choose from).
Listening to enchanting tales that take place during the season of winter is helping me see the beauty of the long nights and frosty mornings. There are two (audio)books in particular that I have been really enjoying>>>
From the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett. This is actually the third book by the super prolific fantasy author. Pratchett has so many books to choose from and I think this is a good first series to get into his world. Tiffany Aching is a young girl from a sleepy sheep town who begins to show signs that she is a born witch. Wintersmith takes place during winter when Tiffany has accidently attracted the attention of winter himself. I am nearly halfway through the book and loving the humor and bits of witchy wisdom.
When I first started diving into Slavic folklore I always felt a bit disappointed by the story "Vasilisa the Wise". The part about her braving the dark forest to go find Baba Yaga is all so interesting but, I always wished to hear more about her life beyond the condemnation of her cruel step-family or her marrying the czar.
In Spining Silver by Naomi Novik we get all those folktale vibes wrapped around a much longer and more satisfying story. This is another book about a girl who has gained the admiration of a spirit of winter. Or, maybe this spirit is simply using the main character Miriam for her entrepreneurial skills, it is hard to say where this tale will go!
As we all know, winter cannot last forever and I am very glad that as we move into August the days are lengthening and signs that spring is near are unavoidable.