Kim gave us our prompt this month. Click on her name to read the beautiful reflections offered by our cohort on the theme of wintering.
Arizona is the land of snowbirds – those seasonal visitors who flock to our 70-degree days from November to April. And who wouldn’t want to winter here? Who wouldn’t trade weeks of cold and gray for balmy, blue skies?
Some 30 years ago, my husband and I bought a second home in the Sierras. Think 6300 feet and 5-10 feet of snow (last year we had 19 feet!). We enjoy it in all seasons. We will often spend weeks or months there during winter expressly for the cold. So for me, wintering is not tied to a place. Wintering is replenishment. Wintering is an exhale. Wintering is an interior journey that checks on my pulse. Am I in need of sustenance – more joy to balance what may be sucking the life out of me? More rest to replenish low energy? More fun to break up the work?
There is no gauge to check tire-pressure; no lab work to indicate any markers out of normal range. I go by gut-feel. And as the calendar turns toward solstice, I’m checking in with myself. Wintering calls for downtime, doggy-time, and a peppermint mocha.
Advent was always a pivotal season in my faith life. Despite my spiritual stumbling, I find comfort in its symbols: wreath, lit candles to mark the passing weeks, waiting on joy, and looking toward the promise of long tomorrows. May I be blessed to see them unfold.
Wintering
Thanksgiving is over. I harvested
every last ounce of wonder, joy
–patience, the last oohs-and-ahhs aspirated
as autumn’s end nears
the supple ambers and aging golds
swept up in a south wind–
what remains: brittle ghosts
spinning on a bare branch
Patricia Franz writes picture books and poetry. She believes children, dogs, and sourdough have a lot to teach us about life, joy, and wonder. She has raised two boys, four dogs, and holds a master’s degree in Theology with a focus on children’s spirituality. Patricia, her husband, her Bernese Mountain dog, Bonny, and her sourdough starter split their time between the Arizona desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains. 
I just came from writing a poem of “wintering”.
That’s the best part of this time of year, the quiet
that can envelop us, how we learn to draw energy
from a thin sun. May your search for sustenance
be fruitful!
Love, Kathy
Patricia, I love this: Wintering calls for downtime, doggy-time, and a peppermint mocha. Amen, Amen, and Amen! I love the look and feel of your blog, too – the design, the picture, the welcoming feel. Harvesting every last ounce of wonder and joy is a lovely image – – the kind that inspires us to live every moment to the fullest, to squeeze it all for everything it’s worth! Lovely!
Patricia, I was struck by the same line that Kim mentioned first–so well-crafted and made me smile! “Replenish my soul” is an excellent goal for winter. Here’s to the “promise of long tomorrows.”
Patricia, winter is the time for replenishing our souls. With the shorter days and the colder days keeping us inside, it is the perfect time to reflect and recharge. Even with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we can find that quiet time we need for our own well being. A peppermint mocha helps get us in that reflective mood.
Patricia, I am also inspired by your words: “Wintering calls for downtime, doggy-time, and a peppermint mocha.” They float on by in such a gentle way as if the snow dropped a blanket on you to nestle in to replenish your soul. Winter cold with winter blue starts the pattern. Snowdrops find their rest, and sunshine brightens the day to replenish your energy. Be at peace, Patricia.