Today

Feeling..the warmth slipping slowly away. We've had some absolutely lovely weather (40 degree days, sunlight, thunderstorms..) but winter is creeping back. Some of our neighbors have started running sap, but we'll wait for the next thaw. I'm also excited, because I'm going to try taking even more advantage of Seth's vacation and joined the 7 posts in 7 days challenge from Conversion Diary. I'm hoping to finish some of the undone posts I've got cluttering my notebook, take massive amounts of photos, and bake at least two cakes (Seth's Birthday is on Sunday!), so stay tuned.

Seeing..oh, you know..snow, snow, snow..the usual - and my pretty little cup of coffee, so more of the usual; and Lenten preparations everywhere! I'm setting up a tiny altar for Yarrow's little Lenten devotions. She gets a teeny tiny crucifix, a teeny tiny Virgin, a teeny tiny Nikolas, a teeny tiny George (slaying a teeny-tiny dragon), and a massive Paraskeva (we don't have a small icon of her yet), she gets a little candle to light at prayer, the St. Patrick relic (they're good friends), and little written (by me) intentions to tuck around. And books. Lots of good books. It will be beautiful, but right now it looks like Mess-on-the-floor.

 Smelling.. incense (patchouli and rose), coffee, and bergamont/Clary Sage scented Murphy's Oil Soap..all over the floor, and the walls (the lattice is always in need of a wash!)

Tasting..coffee with cream..only a few more days of 'coffee with cream' - I'm sort of dreading Lent...40 days of watching Other People buy up all the Raw Cream while I settle for black coffee, black tea, and all the healthsome concoctions Lent has to offer.

 
 Listening.. to Anonymous 4 chanting in the background and snow-mobiles revving somewhere deep in the forest. They're out at all hours - we hear them in the early mornings and late at night, competing with coyotes for noise - pollution.

 Grateful... for so much time with my husband, for freshly washed floors that look like real floors, for piles of wood beside the stove, and for the few remaining days of creamy coffee I have left..though I do have some exciting Lenten meals I'm looking forward to trying!

Reading..The Cloister Walk - Kathleen Norris again, she fits the season. And Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and a wonderful little poem by a friend that makes me remember  exactly why I loved driving off with no direction in college..it's that feeling of overwhelming potential!

Loving..vacation time, warm winter days, playing 'basketball' with the snow, and sleeping late each morning..How will I adjust when he goes back to work again?

 

 
Hoping..for a hot bath tonight! It's been so warm recently, we've kept the stove too low to heat water really well, but today is chilly, so perhaps I'll be soaking in the super-deep bath tonight!
 
Working on..blog posts for this week's challenge! It'll be great! Along with organizing a party for my husband, preparing for Lent, and enjoying as much Raw Jersey Cream as humanly possible!