February

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, 

for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:  

it is the time for home." 
-  Edith Sitwell

February rolls around again with my favorite page from the Book of Hours calendar.  Filled with interesting rural details, a lady in a blue dress sits by the fire warming herself while winter farm work goes on around her.  What is she thinking about?

Well, here's what I'm thinking. I wish it would finally stop raining. Rain is still forecast every single day for at least the next week.  I'm itching to get outside to prune the roses, take the lights down and get started on the slimy garden cleanup.

Just look at that poinsettia, still pretty as the day I brought it home from Trader Joes. November seems like forever-ago now. They must be genetically engineered to last forever, or at least, longer than you want to look at them.

Our lovely, early-blooming camellia comes to the rescue, always first lady in the parade of flowers.