The whole Valley Advocate Best Of didn’t entirely register for me. The deadline is tomorrow. I did not push my blog once. Oh, well, oh, dear, oh no, oy vey. But anyway, here I am with the official request that if you like this blog, please vote for it. You do have to vote for ten different things on this big ol’ Valley Advocate Best of Poll in order for it to count.
In the land of this blog, in the land of New England and Northampton it is winter 2014.0 and I’ve tired of the cold, the ice, the snow days… well the whole of the beast (although my family has not tired of Berkshire East—and yes, I voted for it).
However, on Wednesday, we had a snow day that included rather sweet, nearly magical elements like a wonderful girl turning six and a wedding at my house midday, two besotted brides from Florida plus me (I am a backup to a local JP, and she is on vacation). Love is such a powerful force field, and in the midst of a much less jubilant period of family wintry not so happy muck, it was a pure dose of happiness that came here to remind me love is not simple but it’s just a thing you have to honor. And when you do let yourself love, you soften and you get strong all at once.
Here is the footwear they wore to my house. They changed into their dressy shoes here.
Three things I’m grateful for this morning are that even when I forget love got me here, I am reminded of that fact, and two, that the sun shines on a very cold morning as if to promise a bit more warmth ahead. Three, I’m in big grateful-for-friends moment here.
I didn’t post my last Brain, Child piece so here it is, about what I wish I could learn from January for February and with another likely snow day ahead, it’s super apt.
I couldn’t love a song more than the latest on Nashville, “The Blues Have Blown Away.”
Lastly, a big shout out for this just-published picture book Jacob’s New Dress. We’ve read it many times through and it’s a heart and mind opener. Rarely does bravery get to show its sweet side like this. A must-get.
