Sarah Gibbard Cook
  • Home
  • About
  • Writing
  • Contact

Shades of Winter Blues

2/4/2019

8 Comments

 
Winter blues come in many colors. Mine take at least three distinct, relatively predictable forms.

Early December: out of kilter. As night blankets out more and more daylight, I grow shaky, lose confidence, and see rejection where none was intended. This “Decemberitis” lifts with the lights, sounds, and camaraderie of the holidays.

Mid-January to late February: lethargic. Snowstorms, icy roads, and bitter cold restrict activities and personal contact. Anniversaries of significant mid-winter losses don’t help. Lots of time to write, but who has the energy? I’d rather go back to bed.

Around March: restless. Spring should be just around the corner. Instead, slush on my favorite forest paths hides patches of glare ice or puddles four inches deep. Cabin fever itches worse than it did in deep mid-winter. Are we there yet, are we there yet?

I’d love to hear from others about the hues of your winter blues.
8 Comments
Lisa Imhoff
2/4/2019 09:48:47 am

For me, winter takes on the shade of whatever yarn I'm knitting on any given day. December, it's often been something green and gold, or red and/or green. January and February, I experiment with color and create color by dying yarn for certain projects. Then I cast on about a dozen pair of socks and ponchos and comfort clothes. March, I lay in wait for impending change, watchfully knitting the projects I started in January and February. Knitting is Life. And requires a fair bit of light, which never hurts.

Reply
Sarah link
2/4/2019 06:23:10 pm

Lisa, what a wonderfully colorful way to celebrate the season! I love the progression of delights from December gold/green/red through deep midwinter creative experimentation and by March, wrapping up the works of winter instead of just pacing impatient for spring. I read somewhere (can't find it now) that colors and circles are two of the leading sources of visual delight. As you say, it doesn't hurt that knitting requires light, and it also probably doesn't hurt that yarn is warm and fuzzy.

Reply
Lisa Imhoff
2/4/2019 07:17:50 pm

Sarah, you completely captured my meaning. Just to clarify, the green and gold of the pre-holiday season is for the Packers!

Sarah link
2/4/2019 09:16:29 pm

Duh. Lisa, you probably knew how out of tune I am with sports - or if you didn't, you do now! In fact, if you showed me green and gold/yellow out of the context of a football-shaped logo or the colors everyone is wearing one fall day, I might think of John Deere farm equipment. Or maybe daffodils.

Reply
Lisa Imhoff
2/5/2019 09:08:50 am

Maybe I just need better punctuation or sentence structure? :)

Reply
Sarah link
2/6/2019 08:45:37 am

Not at all, Lisa. I just need to remember this is Wisconsin!

Rebecca link
2/9/2019 01:25:39 pm

November: rust
December: pine
January: snow
February: gray
March: green

Reply
Sarah link
2/10/2019 09:24:00 am

Beautiful, Rebecca! And December brings scent as well as color. February is gray for me as well. but it's the shortest month and we have March green to look forward to!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I'm a historian who writes novels and literary nonfiction. My home base is Madison, Wisconsin. 

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016

    RSS Feed


      ​get updates

    Sign up
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
  • Writing
  • Contact