January's Joys

The shrill wind blew about the house
   And through the pines all night:
The snowflakes whirled across the fields
And hid the fence from sight.

By dawn the drifts had blown so deep
No horse nor sleigh could go:
The dog-house and the chicken-coops
Were buried in the snow.

There was no thought of school that day;
We worked with shovels all,
And cleared a path from house to barn;
The snow was like a wall.

I wished our house was covered up,
Like that one in the book
My Grandma showed to me one day
Beside the chimney nook.

The story said the chimney-pot
Just showed above the snow,
And all day long the lamps were lit
Down in the house below.


Winter is upon is and and we are shut in from the world, cozy, and warm around the hearth. Outside the earth is tucked under a blanket of white. All that we hear is a soliloquy of silence, nature is resting today.
So are we. All living creatures need rest and renewal, especially mothers. The comforting rhythm of slow winter days affords us this rest, and the new-fallen snow provides our family with the perfect opportunity to pause and take stock of our home life.
One of the reasons we love the month of January is that no matter what the weather is like outside, crystal clear and sunny or lead gray with sleet pelting the window----inside the fire at hearthside is constant, bright and crackling, and warm. I believe our spirits are the same. Outward circumstances, the stress of hectic modern living colliding with work and home, may batter and weary us, but the peace and tranquility in the home, we, too, can find respite to weather the storms of life.
Since the family will spend so much time together in the coming months, we gather together some games, books, and supplies we'll need in the weeks to come. Now we are ready for winter's pleasures-----spending our days, reading, sewing, baking, working on handicrafts, playing games, and sipping tea and hot cocoa. Later the children will go out to play in the snow. Later in the afternoon the children will cut out paper snowflakes or play boardgames. Tonight we'll have a taffy pull.
So come celebrate with our family the fun and warmth of hearth and home during the long, dark days and crystal-cold nights of winter as we explore the old-fashioned arts of housebound amusement and the simply abundant pleasures of winter days.