Cold January

Busted pipes, snow, ice, drifts, wind, extra blankets, anti-freeze, scarfs, cocoa, soup, snow-pants, plows, school cancellations, brilliant stars, the wolf moon, heated car seats, windshield washer fluid, roundup of the homeless, radiator steam vents whistling, weatherstripping, and icicles. Hello January 2011.

What is the state of our union with winter? In bucolic Brookline, the temperatures go below zero for the first time in 6 years. Snow is piled in places where once we strolled unimpeded. Now we take smaller, more deliberate steps on the snow and ice maintaining balance and uprightness. The warmest room in the house is the boiler room and laundry.

Hot and spicy food is the order of the day. We think of how nice it would have been to have canned fresh vegetables at the ready....and ever more spaghetti sauce, chili, and cinnamon rolls to snack on. What should we make today? Pickles? Yogurt cheese? Lentil soup? Sourdough bread?

Let's keep it simple...it's cold out.