Dear Diary, it is now winter. I see that I must write about it again. Cold and dark are in my bones and family history and are my touchstone to this season. Cold drives me inside. People talk of an internal fire, drive, spark, or passion, fire as the source that keeps us engaged with this life. People talk.
On this topic, Dear Diary, I am simplistic. This business about inner fire, seems to be about darkness, light, spark, heat. It’s what helps us do the next thing, like get out of bed or off the couch, when a cat is on your lap. Motivation is a mish-mash of biological needs, obligation, habit, curiosity, a deadline. Modulate those forces and you’ve an individual recipe for disaster or glory, and everything in between.
I love thinking about metabolics these days, the flow of energy everywhere, all at once–darkness to light, cold to heat, and back and forth, looping through pathways, back and forth.
Fire. A direct answer to cold.
Satisfying.
Daytime dankness be gone, and at night, the right spectrum of light for our circadian rhythms.
Dec 2023 on Peaks Island
Close to Boston, it has been a warm winter, overall. That means more rain, if there is a low pressure marauding about.
This was a quick, fast-boil storm; quick-warming temps, then big lashes, big rain–and it was over. The day after, all was calm and clear in our neighborhood park; we escaped mostly unscathed. *
I’ve temporarily lost a key reference point of winter, with it being routinely 40 or 50 degrees.
I admit also that I thoroughly enjoy the break.
West Medford, January 15, 2024
A traveling cold front decided to tap dance, bringing winter for a day or two, here and there.
With mixed emotions, I report that winter is still winter. If it rains, it will usually, eventually freeze.
It becomes all about ice management. Ice is the suckiest of all wetness to manage. It’s the scariest–in the twinkle of an eye–a slip of the foot.
On top of that, it’s known to be invisible.
Light up a fire, if only a candle with dinner.
Stay calm.
Spark, fire, and heat can be separated, technically, when you look close-up at mechanisms. In real life, they live as one; Just like winter, cold, more night and less light; the sun’s path hovering lower, over the horizon.
January 22, 2024
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*January 14, 2024, Storm Addendum
While we got short intense rain, our New England coast took a beating. You may see the wonder of winter’s fury when you see the damage reports: dunes eaten whole or in huge carved out bites, floating houses and fishing docks, and tossed boulders strewn around like child’s play.
I was able to catch a low tide walk at Ogunquit beach about a week after the storm.
I don’t know how this foot bridge is still standing!
❤️
Love your winter pictures! We get used to the winter, and even though our friends toot their happiness about being in the warm Florida breezes, we still remain true to Maine and look forward to Spring! P.S. Most snowbirds have complained about how cold the Fla. and NC days have been this year!
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Thank you Lyn! I appreciate your comment as well as your Maine ways.