This month makes 12 – a full year – COVID-19 looking back posts. February 2020 was the last one I wrote pre-COVID and I thought it would look a lot different than this year. The cherry trees and daffodils bloomed earlier last year, but the amaryllis didn’t. There’s plenty of knitting and books. and then I saw that group photo – my mom, SIL, sister, me, and Holly on Sunday the 16th. We had gathered at my mom’s for our second “cookbook club”. and that was the last time we did that – both cookbook club and that kind of get-together. Fortunately we live close enough that socially distanced gatherings are possible (we saw each other in January!) and we’ve also Zoom’d a couple of times. but getting together to share a meal – and take a “get closer selfie” – … still seems like a long ways off.
I guess all of that is one of the things I love best about this daily photo AND looking back practice. Last month I tried out a shorter list of reflections – here goes again!
A Gratitude List: the constancy of the seasons. the blooms were late, but they were there. knitting. books. having a space where I can just be (all day!). occasional blue skies. tennis. having workout-at-home options. FaceTime Bananagrams to celebrate my niece’s birthday (Monday, Feb 22). longer days. and always, the dark-early mornings.
Life Giving: Katie in real life (Thursday, Feb 25). We planned this “girls night” for weeks – wine, dinner, book talk, and a little TV … the weather was glorious (we had wine on the porch), the food was fabulous (we each cooked a dish from one of Alison Roman’s cookbooks, plus olives and cheese, crusty bread, and a bakery dessert), and the book talk was The Best. Also, all the on-line knitting and book communities (I especially love that many of them are knitting AND books!)
Life Draining: complaining. oh my, y’all. you knew it was coming, right?! giving up something always makes you super-aware of it. and whoa. complaining is everywhere. also, pretty much anything relating to the former President.
A (short) Happy List:
- We watched the new All Creatures Great and Small on PBS and it is hands-down the best TV I’ve seen in a while. We love the book(s) and the first series (I remember watching when Katie was a baby) and this re-boot is all of that and more. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
- My favorite breakfast (or lunch) is an apple, cheese and crackers, a handful of nuts, a 30-minute timer, and a book.
- Olive&June. Our painting project (especially the two weeks of cleaning up and putting everything back together) took a toll on my nails. I finally got back to my Monday manicure routine the last week of the month, just in time for their new spring colors. (I have Cockatoo on my nails this week and it is both Happy and Life Giving.)
I also read 13 books (stay tuned for a separate post later this week). and you already know about the socks and the sweater I finished.
and that’s another month for me! What’s one thing you’d like to remember (or forget) about February?
mere-et-filles 
Lovely to read how your loved ones and creative activities all knit themselves together in February – despite the distracting political ‘noises off’. Your montage is so colourful – your flowers and socks leap out and the little blinks of sunshine feel like a promise of better things to come. Thirteen books is an amazing total! I’d like to remember that we survived February despite everything :).
Stitching is a colorful addition to your month! You are always weeks ahead of we northerners in terms of sunshine and spring and your photos give me hope. I’d like to forget all the time I spent in February looking for a vaccine appt., and I’d like to gratefully remember that we are all still healthy.
I have been wondering about you stitching project so it is fun to see it make an appearance. And I feel like we are so close to a time when I can share a couch with my two girls – that will be a day to celebrate!
Having tuned out much of the political babble has been a beneficial part of February, as well as more daylight hours and, fortunately, sunny skies! March will be even better (I just know it will). Your stitching project is so charming! I bought a kit for a scissor fob (it’s all about size) because your project inspired me to stitch again. Maybe I’m just copying you, in that I also started a yoked sweater. Your February was very colorful and full of joy, Mary!
Those socks do jump out! And they are wonderful. Crazy that it has been a year. Doug is getting vaccinated today! I may show up and see if I can get an “extra” as they give them out at the end of the day. February…a great birthday to remember and a melanoma scare to forget! (They got it all!)
I just love the new All Creatures Great and Small and i’m looking forward to the next season! I re-read the first book in the series last year and have the other books in the series on my bookshelf-they are all first editions, but were smoke damaged in a fire in 1981, but in good enough shape for me to re-read them.
My brother’s birthday is on Friday. Last year we took him out to dinner and that was the last time we were out to dinner. We will be getting take out for him this year…from a great restaurant in Champaign.
I really struggled with some mild depression and apathy during much of February and I’d like to forget that. I am glad I completed my vaccine and am looking forward to brighter days ahead!
I love all the red in that photo collage! And yes, All Creatures Great and Small was fantastic!
I love all the flowers!! And I agree about ACGAS – easily the best Masterpiece series I’ve ever watched! The perfect Sunday night activity while gearing up for a new week – full of hope, laughter, and friendship.
Here’s to a lovely March 🙂
Seeing all the flowers in your February gives me hope that spring is coming soon! February here was very snowy, and I am ready to see some green again!
I loved All Creatures Great and Small as well. It was just the right kind of TV. Actually, I kind of wish it had been aired sooner, maybe during the beginning of the COVID year or around the election when I was more anxious. I could have used some really soothing Masterpiece then. (Also, how great was the knitting in that show?)
So much color in February! The meal sharing is definitely something I really-really-really miss. I will ALWAYS remember being the only female to beat one of the male/experienced/bigger/teenage fencers in our club for Friday Night Fights. Beating the shorter/less experienced 12 year old boy at practice doesn’t really count :-). Fencing has definitley become life-giving for me.
We enjoyed All Creatures as well. The only thing is that my husband who is well versed in the original books will comment when something isn’t in the book (and he does that often) . Since I haven’t read them it doesn’t bother me as much. Now I want a manicure….