As Rabbi Rachel Barenblat notes over at Velveteen Rabbi, today marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox. In many parts of the country, people are looking outside at heaps of new snow and despairing that winter is only half over, but in my neck of the woods, it’s hovering around 70°. It rained earlier, and it’s still cloudy and breezy and full of the smells of damp earth, further emphasizing the illusion that the season took ol’ Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction of an early spring seriously.
I’m not quite buying it — especially with tomorrow’s predicted high a good thirty degrees cooler — but it does my winterized outlook good to get a small taste of the coming warmth as the planet’s axis tilts back towards the sun. Walking across the street to meet the neighbors’ new baby and bring the family a loaf of fresh-baked beer bread did not necessitate bundling up in a heavy coat. I decided to walk to Dunkie’s for a coffee and doughnut and to the store to pick up a few things, and I was actually a bit too warm by the time I made it back to my doorstep. How novel!
I could actually start to believe that things like this…
…are in our not-too-distant future.
To the Nth 
It was funny talking with my old coworkers that they’re looking forwards to the high of 65 this week for the Hampton Roads area.
I secretly hate when it’s 65 here, because that means it’s not 75. Last week was amazing. And it’s tough to go down in temperature, even when it’s January.
But at least it’s not freezing this week for VA! Well…for our home away from the West Coast part of Virginia. 😀
Alas, it was a brief taste of warmth here; we’re back down to a high in the 30s today. I guess that’s okay for February. Beats the hell out of hitting 90 in February, as it was wont to do in South Texas.
Oh! Reading this has made me excited for the move! I walk to be in walking distance of a Dunks! Oh boy!
For the record, the new chocolate donut with sprinkles is pretty darn good. 😀
We had a beautiful day today as well. I’m not looking forward to all the rain in the forecast over the next few days, but days like today make winter bearable. I am so glad I live in the South!
Yeah, I dunno about rain, either. I mean, April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but what do February showers bring aside from chill and damp?
I’m so jealous.
Usually – in summer of course – I say that I love living in an area that experiences ALL of the seasons. Who am I kidding? Winter is terrible! Get me outta here!
We can enjoy experiencing all four seasons without necessarily wanting those seasons to get equal time. I’d be totally happy with extended Virginia springs and autumns and about three weeks each of summer and winter. 😉
I will say that I missed proper winter terribly when we were stationed in South Texas. It wasn’t brisk, it was just dead-looking with the cotton fields harvested, and it was hitting 90 by February. I felt cheated.