Spring or Winter?

I feel like we can all agree that the air around us feels a little strange lately. Not only are we all trying to navigate our first global pandemic together (yet safely apart), but we’re also most likely wondering where our normal late-spring, early-summer weather has been hiding. I’ve packed away my winter clothes 3 different times now and had to pull them out yet again this morning for this week of oddly chilly weather we’re supposed to get. On the farm, we recently lost 3 rows of tomato plants in one of our fields from that late-season frost that visited our area Mother’s Day weekend. It was so sad to see all the hard work that went into those little plants die off. But that’s life - there are no promises! We replanted in all the areas that were affected and now you almost can’t even tell that there was any frost damage at all. All that to say, under normal circumstances I would really be shaking an angry fist in my mind at Mother Nature right now. Doesn’t she know that it should be warm and sunny? But instead, I’m trying to use this time as a little gift. Sometimes all it takes is an adjustment in perspective!

Usually, as the days get longer and warmer, there’s a certain energy that returns to us. We normally start inviting neighbors over for drinks or a meal, or we congregate at an outdoor sporting event. Late spring usually feels like the perfect time of the year to socialize - it’s warm, but not too warm, and the air isn’t too thick with bugs yet. But obviously, this spring is going in a bit of a different direction. We aren’t able to socialize in the ways we normally would. Instead, we’re relying on phones and computers more and it just isn’t the same. That’s why I’m actually very thankful for these prolonged almost winter-like conditions. A little dreariness can be the perfect backdrop for a bit of respite and self-care. While I have the great intention of doing a daily yoga routine, my self-care has been mostly revolving around trying new cookie recipes (which are somehow even tastier in the cold), and finding new ways to make bulk meals out of my Woodside Farms produce. I then share these ideas with my mom and neighbor. It’s my favorite way to stay social right now. So cozy up and take care of yourself in the ways that work best for you. Enjoy this slow time for what it is and let it nurture a part of you that hasn’t had much attention in a while. Because this too shall pass.