Where In The World

Here is where.  I've been here.  Yes, it's beautiful.  But after weeks and weeks of grey, punctuated by brief sunlight, even the beauty can be lost on you.  I'm still walking by the river, still dosing with herbal infusions and still getting out to hockey games, and even a concert tomorrow.  The wheel turns - but ever so slowly this time of year.

It's snowing now, as I type this, but I know it will stop soon.  It is February now, and even here in the high Valley, Winter doesn't last much longer than the first few weeks of February.  I've been fighting the first real cold that I've had in a long time.  Garlic, St. John's Wort, salt-water gargles and ginger honey have been my best friends these last few days.  I can't even talk about how wonderful these herbal remedies are.  I remember my Nyquil days, and that drugged feeling was never fun.

I took a drive up the hill last weekend to observe Imbolc and leave a few (natural) offerings.  The groundhogs in Canada seemed to report that Winter was ending, but I'm thinking Punxatawney Phil was right.  There's still some Winter left - at least up on the hill.  I took a few photos of the hoar frost that covered everything up there.

On the Pine needles:

On some scrub brush:

It's really something to see frost like that, growing almost an inch out in every direction.  Nature is wondrous.

I wanted to take a moment to give some belated thanks to Aw from My Life As I Know It, Keltik from Keltik's Korner and The Witch of Howling Creek for tagging me/giving me awards this past month.  I've not done the required homework on these, I'm afraid.  After several years of blogging, I figure you know more than you might wish to know about me already.  But thank you for the lovely thought!

Also, The Witch of Howling Creek is also the creatrix behind Pagan Living, an online home and garden magazine.  She is releasing the next issue in March and I have a small article within.  It's a very beautifully done magazine - do stop by the site and check out the past issues and I'll let you know when the new issue is released!

Thanks so much, as always, for sticking with me through the great blog drought of 2012!  I have another giveaway coming up this month and am geared up to start working on more herbal goodies and getting down to some serious garden planning.  Hang in there - things are starting to wake up!