opening chapter two – hello february
The baby of the year. 28 days. They fly by! Take them in. Bridging seasons. Stuck in limbo. Will she summon sunshine or snow? A little lighter, a smidge brighter. Air fresh, full of hope. Snowdrops - unafraid - poke their heads up from below. In the greenhouse, sow dreams for the months ahead. Back indoors, dim the lights. The scent of rose fills the air. Silk slips. Trimmed with lace. Dress to impress… yourself. Pancake parties. All the toppings. Toss! Flip! Stack ‘em up high! Final frosts. Be still. Reflect and breathe - what’s going well? Winter bows. Daffodils tease. We wait patiently for spring…
However excited I might be for spring to arrive, I cherish each of the 28 opportunities February offers to say goodbye to winter for another year.
Whether it’s cherishing the last remaining frost of the season, appreciating the excuse to light the fire one last time or taking advantage of the opportunity to ‘hibernate’ for a few more days (!), there’s so much beauty that comes hand-in-hand with the cold, I’m grateful that February let’s us say a proper goodbye.
Whilst some might find its unpredicatablity disarming, I love that February forces us to get creative, too. Prepare for the unexpected. Am I dressing for sunshine or snow? After all, if you, like me, have invested in a winter coat in recent months, any excuse to get your moneys worth can only be a good thing, right!?
That being said, nothing beats that first feeling of taking a deep breath in and inhaling the glorious, distinct smell of spring.
The first sign of many that lighter evenings are on their way… along with linen dresses, skipping lambs and freshly picked daffs.
As I mentioned in my opening to chapter two this time last year, it was in February a few years back that I really smelt that smell for this first time. Little did I know in that moment that it would set off a love affair with the British countryside, that I know deep down will last a lifetime and beyond…
For that reason, February is saturated with so much hope in my eyes. After months of darkness, we take our first tentative steps over the bridge between winter and spring, knowing full well that whilst the present is filled with so much beauty (if you look for it) the destination ahead is brimming with light.
The noticeably lighter skies when the team leave at 5pm are testament to that!
Of course, February sends good old Saint Valentine our way too, so naturally I’ll be dropping some serious hints to Ali in the coming days..! We’ve actually booked a Valentines getaway this year but if you’re looking for date night ideas to enjoy at home (which I love) I shared how we usually celebrate this time last year here. I’ll be sharing my guide to the perfect pamper night in over the coming days too, for those of you looking to take advantage of the last remaining wintry nights of the season.
Finally, after 2022 had the audacity to make us wait until March for pancakes (!) I will be summoning Carrie to the kitchen on Tuesday 21st and requesting that a full stack of pancakes are ready and waiting for me to feast on!
After all, if you can’t play the boss card and demand pancakes on pancake day, when can you eh!?
Ultimately, I plan to cherish this month in full. It’s the shortest month of the year. It always goes by in a flash.
Let’s make the most of it, together, shall we?
