half way there

I get it. People needed to mark this point in time. The cold grey days start to get noticeably lighter and longer. There are wee hopeful signs of a life on the barren landscape. Why not celebrate, embrace, and lighten things up a bit. Call it Imbolc, or Candlemas, or Ground Hog's Day... the point is we're half way to spring. It's a reason to smile.

We did our candle making thing with friends...

And we went on Ground Hog watch (though we decided that Gobbler's Knob is too far away and if Phil had been here on the Chesapeake he would not have seen his shadow.)

(The groundhog set came from the amazing MamaRoots and the fox and beaver are from Jalu Toys.)

But more than anything we're just enjoying those extra minutes each day and those extra degrees each afternoon and keeping our faces towards the sun. My girl is finding her independence.

And after long afternoons of stepping up and helping me with less glamorous boat chores (daddy is still bed bound recovering from surgery), Z and I are enjoying short mom-and-boy only walks to the end of the dock to say good by to the day. Something we have not done alone (or anything alone) together for, oh, say 15 months.

For countless millenia people have needed these milestones, and despite the cultural and religious twists pasted on over time, it's still boils down to the same essence. We need a reason to come together and celebrate and find hope and savor the moment.