a burst of color

for a grey and gloomy morning.

in truth, i haven't minded this winter very much.

past winters, i went to work when it was dark (and usually rainy) and came home when it was dark (and usually rainy).

this winter, i can see the sun (or lack thereof) from my window while i work. as soon as there is a break in the rain, atlas and i head out for a long walk. if the sun comes out, we head out for an even longer one. i am discovering that even on these grey and gloomy days, there is a lightness to the sky during the day that makes a world of difference to my sun-deprived senses.

these little changes have made all the difference.

how do you get through the grey and gloomy season? if you have one. if you don't, i occasionally envy you.

Comments

[and flowers pick themselves]

ohio is incredibly gray all winter. we had some blue skies this weekend and it was wonderful :)

xo Alison

[Tracy]

Autumn & winter can be really dull seasons here. Autumn can be rainy, chilly & foggy. Winter is long, cold, snowy and gray. Today the sun is shining for once--hooray! During winter it's a challenge to keep the spirits up and not feel as gray as it is outside. I use aromatherapy a lot. As well as wearing brighter colors. Buying flowers occasionally. Hot drinks of tea and mulled cider add a glow. Warming gemstones like ruby, lapiz and amethyst lift. :o) But is it spring yet? I can't wait...LOL! Happy Day, Elizabeth ((HUGS))

[steph]

Working in a space with windows to the outside makes a huge difference to me, even if I don't go out during the breaks in the rain or under the occasional blue bits of sky.

But I think what's made the biggest difference for me in dealing with the gray of winter has been to stop fighting it. To stop thinking that I'm "supposed" to feel a certain way or think a certain way. If I get hibernate-y, then I accept that I'm hibernate-y. If I want to sleep more (and I do, in winter), then I try to sleep more. I feel like there are lots of things (chores, daily practices) that I've kept up with less well this winter, but I've been *happier anyway* because I haven't been kicking myself about not doing all these things. This is the second (or maybe third?) winter that I've been trying this approach, and it's really making a difference in how much I enjoy & appreciate winter.

Still, I'm loving the burst of color here, and am eagerly anticipating spring. :)

[Erin]

I love the chilled grey light of winter. It must be so lovely to walk in the quiet spaces in between, seeing rainbows :) Does Atlas like the rain? (our beloved family dog Morag used to try and run away from tiny pit-patters of rain!)

I do find that having an extended lack of sunshine is not good for my psyche (my winter days are like yours of old- to work in the dark, back home in the dark, sigh), so each winter day becomes filled with gratitude lists of what I like about the season: the quite light, hot chocolates, watching stormy weather.

[Patty]

Well, we had one in December (a gloomy season), but January has done an about face and is trying to fool us into thinking that spring is already here. Probably not. Anyway, always best to try to embrace what Mother Nature brings us, I think, if possible. When the end to the gloom finally comes, it's just that much sweeter. Hang in there!!

[michelle marlahan]

oh how i've missed your photos. so much to catch up on on google reader!

love this picture.

this winter has been pretty mild for me, too. doesn't hurt that i just got back from belize :) but truly, i love winter. going 'in' is so my nature, so i have to make sure i don't go in and not come out. lots of exciting things happening, so it's easier to stay energized.

hmmm... so nice to reflect. have a great night!

xo

[elizabeth @ retinal perspectives]

@michelle: welcome back! i saw some of the belize photos on fb - it looked like such a wonderful time!

@patty: embracing is good. i am learning. :) (and yes, the bursts of sunshine are so much sweeter after the grey.) enjoy your burst of spring!

@erin: it is lovely, though i don't often see rainbows. maybe i need to make a habit of actually looking for them! atlas does not love the rain. misty or light drizzle is ok. if he runs out and feels more than that, he turns around and runs back inside. it's cute. gratitude lists. *happy sigh* what a lovely reminder - thank you!

@steph: windows do make a huge difference. i love your approach! yes. stop resisting or fighting it. yes. i am going to try this myself. so glad you found something that is helpful for you!

@tracy: hurrah for your sunshine!!! may tomorrow be sunny too. :) what a fun list of suggestions. i read a fascinating book on aromatherapy once but never really tried it to see how it worked. you've got me interested again.

@alison: so happy to hear you had blue skies!

[Bullwinkle]

I am stunned (but can't quite get the pix) by the spot-lights of color in the woods this year. It's like a hyper-focus, my eyes zero in on them.

I love winter :) I love being outside, tramping through quiet places full of hibernating beings. I feel like I have superpowers and I'm watching over them.

O.k. that was a weird statement ;) but I'm standing by it.

[Lori-Ann]

Thank you for the burst of colour! And your walks sound lovely. (Atlas: good dog!)

Winters here are usually sunny and snowy. And cold. I love it all (except the cold, sometimes). Autumn, though. . . that is grey and difficult. Winter in the (sort-of) far north means short days and long nights. What I love about this is that you can go to bed at 8pm in the winter and no one cares! Try that when it's summer and still sunny out, and it's impossible--you're supposed to be at the beach, or on a patio, or in the garden, or otherwise doing something. Winter=books and fires and warm drinks and good quiet. Mostly.

[jaime]

This corner of the planet is definitely mostly grey these days, isn't it? If I didn't love the rain so much, I think I would have to consider moving. But, you know, the grey skies make the colours of the natural world stand out, oh so beautifully. :)