Five Wintery Quotes

"It was a day when frost and sunshine

combined went to one's head like iced champagne."

from The Irish R.M., 1928

Read the above quote this early morning—it's today's selection from the Nature Writing for Every Day of the Year book I mentioned in yesterday's POST. Our own morning dawned soft pink and pale lemon and breathtakingly cold. The birds are busy at the feeders, and the squirrel wastes no time to nab a few freeze-dried mountain ash berries for his breakfast.

On this first Friday of December, here are five quotes I'm enjoying as the season gets underway in earnest. We're writing out Christmas cards, gently celebrating someone's birthday with a delicious-looking carrot cake waiting in the kitchen for afternoon tea. Wishing you a bit of bliss. 🎄💖

—One—

"So quiet and subtle is the beauty of December

that escapes the notice of many people their whole

lives through. Colour gives way to form: every

branch distinct, in a delicate tracery against the sky.

New vistas, obscured all Summer by leafage, now open up."

FLORA THOMPSON

—Two—

"In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

in the bleak midwinter long ago."

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

—Three—

"May and October, the best-smelling months? I'll make a case

for December: evergreen, frost, wood smoke, cinnamon."

LISA KLEYPAS

—Four—

"At Christmas I no more desire a rose

Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled mirth;

But like of each thing that in season grows."

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

—Five—

"As we struggle with shopping lists and invitations, compounded

by December's bad weather, it is good to be reminded that

there are people in our lives who are worth this aggravation,

and people to whom we are worth the same."

DONALD E. WESTLAKE

❦

This is my second post in as many days. Perhaps there's a pattern forming to do an Advent post more often than my usual once a week. I won't promise, but you might find a few more than usual bonus posts in celebration of winter and Christmas.

Until next time, stay safe and warm,

Brenda

Photo Credits:

Top: Image by Peggy Choucair from Pixabay

One: Image by Mark Martins from Pixabay

Two: Image by Peggy Choucair from Pixabay

Three: Image by Susanne Jutzeler, Schweiz from Pixabay

Four: Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

Five: Image by Gerhard from Pixabay