Courtesy of the city of Pittsburgh
The holiday season is over. All that’s left are the trees lying in driveways waiting to be picked up by the “tree collectors.”
The twinkly lights that greeted us as we drove home are dark for another year. Most people take the candles out of the windows. Our candles will stay for another month or so. Without any lights, winter is just dank, dark and dreary.
People are back to their grumpy self, storing their goodwill along with their seasonal decorations and dusty Santa’s.
We are preparing to hibernate. January is a not an active month. Events are weather dependent. All the good ones are cancelled which leaves us with the stuff we didn’t want to do in the first place.
It’s mostly dark. I read somewhere that there are 14 hours of darkness in the northern hemisphere. The hours next to it are bleak so it’s really more. I feel like a mole. We are lucky to have any sun.
People lack energy. Maybe they blew it all on the holidays along with their money or packed it up with the goodwill.
I miss all the emails declaring “last chance sales,” “four hours left” and “70% off AND free shipping.”
Even the cats sleep more if that’s at all possible.
Hazel settled in for a long winter’s nap.
The next holiday is Ground Hog Day on February 2.
Ok, maybe you don’t celebrate if you are not from Pennsylvania. The significance of this holiday is not Punxsutawney Phil and his (really bad) weather forecast. This holiday is a harbinger to spring.
Spring! Remember what that is? Tulips blooming! The smell of blossoms in the air and the wackos are back on the streets! I love it!
I consider it a “doughnut holiday” where you eat something naughty and enjoy it without guilt. (Gotta love those holidays!)
It signals the end of the worst of the sub-freezing temperatures.
There are twelve days until Valentine’s Day so you better come up with at least a card. No problem though, the Valentine’s Day cards have been on the racks since December 27th (yes, I saw them!) along with the St. Patrick’s Day and Easter cards.
There will be hearts, leprechauns and bunnies dangling everywhere along with the appropriate sales. (Gotta love marketers!)
Groundhog Day is the start of all the holidays (and sales) to come — Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras (another doughnut holiday!), Easter (more food yum!), Earth Day, Arbor Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Father’s Day and I’m only up to June.
What I love best about these holidays is the music. There isn’t any! If I hear about the little drummer boy on January 2, I’m likely to strangle the kid…or maybe the singers.
Nor do I need to decorate or buy gifts. In fact I don’t need to do anything to celebrate except participate.
The foods are simpler. Think cherry pie for Presidents’ Day. How about chocolate for Valentines’ Day. You have to have Easter eggs. It’s written in the rule book. That damn bunny that eats your spring flowers brings colorful eggs.
I’m starting to feel a little perky here. There is so much to look forward to this year!
Views and Mews by Coffee Kat 
I wish we had the ability to actually hibernate – take a long winter’s nap and wake up to spring. In the meantime, I guess it’s best to dream of what’s to come.
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I will take winter in Missouri over the heat and humidity in the summer BUT I have to say that the month of January gives me a cranky! Not looking forward to the snow coming today and the below zero temps. I took our candles out of the windows Thursday. I am going to put them back up today, I think I need them. Need the candles and wine time at 4 o’clock! You perked me up.. 🙂
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Wine time….hmmmm….I like that.
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Up here in the Pacific Northwest, I think it’s more like 16 hours of darkness on the winter solstice. The days are getting longer every day, though. Today we had sunshine and 45 degrees. A beautiful day!
I love your cat photos!
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We are coming out of a severe cold snap. By the weekend they are predicting 50. Very welcomed after two nights of 0. And yes the days are getting longer. Yay!
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I agree with you…the gloom has already begun where I am. I marvel at what great comments you get…people really love your prose Kate…as do I…nice you keep your candles lit…you’re a good example.
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Awww! Thanks!
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A fun way to look at the misery of January, especially as I sit here in layers of pajamas while it is snowing and temperatures fall to record lows.
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I feel your pain. I am in my fleece-lined flannel LL Bean shirt with heavy socks and jeans on. It stopped snowing here but it is drifting. The snow needs to be shoveled and blown. Oh dear…..and on top of it all no Starbucks until a little later!
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You mean the Starbucks employees aren’t considered essential?
In NJ they’ve declared a state of emergency so only “essential” workers are allowed to be on the roads.
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Kate, these dark days are relentless (the rain is hammering down in the dark outside my window!) but it’s perfect story telling weather. I imagine that’s how they passed the days when we had no gizmos to kidnap our attention.
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I expect they did that and made babies — so many died young.
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I’m with the cats – sleep is good…otherwise I’d be forced to clean out closets…Jan. is winter here – grey, rainy, cold so I’m forced to stay inside and find entertainment or realize the mess that’s ignored the rest of the time….sleep is looking better.
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Closet cleaning makes the winter even gloomier!
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True. It’s a dark task.
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Now that I live in SC winter is ok. It gets cold and rainy but then there are the surprise days of sunshine and 60*. I grew up in the Snowbelt and remember the big snows. Can’t say I miss them.
I think you are the only person I know who looks forward to Groundhog Day. I think you have a good attitude.
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It’s one of the holidays that helps inch into spring. I only like the first snow of the season and then I’m done with it.
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I always liked the first snow. It’s when it is late February and March that it loses its appeal. Whenever it snows here it is awful. Pretty but awful.
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I know I’m odd man out, but I LOVE winter and prefer not to rush it along! However, it occurs to me that we have chocolate hearts, chocolate Santas and chocolate bunnies…but I’ve yet to see a chocolate groundhog. Now I have a project to keep me busy over the next month!
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Make it a BIG groundhog please and top it off with a chocolate margarita! Oh that’s right. My friends tell me that margaritas are so yesterday. Chocolate martinis are the thing.
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I hope you stocked up on plenty of pre-Storm CHOCOLATE, Kate.
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You can be sure we have enough chocolate. I’m just worried about my Starbuck’s run in the morning. I’ll think of you as you’re basking in the sun!
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It’s raining. It’s pouring.
But this morning was nice.
Hope you get to Starbucks in your sleigh tomorrow morn.
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I vote for hubby doing the Starbuck’s run in the morning. He’s an Eagles fan, he’s tough. 🙂
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Not likely. He hates winter driving even more than I do!
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We leave a little tree with white lights that sparkle on the deck. It reminds us of the joys in December. Sometimes it will last until Groundhog Day or even into March and always makes us smile.
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That’s why we keep the lights in the window. When I worked it would be so sad to drive home after everyone took their decorations down. Then when I turned on my street, the candles were welcoming me home!
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This is exactly what I needed to see! A good dose of positive thinking and looking for the good in what the year brings!
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Glad I could help! I was actually trying to get myself revved up.
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You have me all pumped up for the year already!
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Bust out the booze!
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Just give me more daylight and I’ll be happier!
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I wish I could…for both of us! Hunker down, storm coming!
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In a couple of stores I visited the Valentine’s Day Stuff was actually going in before Christmas! As the Christmas shelves emptied in went the hearts and teddy bears. It was not a pretty picture! Good luck with the dark of winter. I am not a sun worshipper, but after a lifetime in So Cal, I realized recently that I really wouldn’t like it if the sun didn’t visit regularly, like it does where I live.
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More sun is better. There are studies that show it’s positive effects on the psyche.
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You are such an optimist! Me, I’m looking forward to the cold days. It’s an arctic dog’s favorite time of the year, ya know!
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Maybe if I had your beautiful coat….not that I would want to take it from you!
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Oh yeah, Spring feels great with more little and the warmer wind and the little flowers in the grass… and the fresh grass! Nom!
Wishing you and yours a Very Happy 2014!
Purrs
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Awww! Thanks!
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Yup, we’re pre-celebrating Valentine’s Day here too..which in my book means it’s pre-spring.
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I like the way you think!
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There is a lot to look forward to, the greatest of which is the Winter Olympics, Feb. 7 – 23. Can’t wait. Sprinkle in some award shows The Peoples Choice, The Golden Globes and The Academy Awards…a family member has been nominated from time to time, so we take our seat on the couch to see if perhaps there’s another award coming. And last but not least throughout the month of Jan I have to enter the HGTV dreamhouse sweepstakes.
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I do love the Olympics — the beautiful ice skating and dancing. I have to check out the HGTV sweepstakes!
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I noticed in the store on New Year’s Eve, they already had the Valentine’s Day candy on display…I guess the bathing suits are right around the corner. I hope you don’t get hit by the winter storm moving toward the Northeast.
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I saw them right after Christmas. Guess they didn’t want the racks empty. We are hunkering down for something like 3 to 12 inches. (They never know….)
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