These are the days of . . . (Winter 2017 edition)

I wish I could remember where I saw this post format, but it seemed the perfect way to capture the overall mood of an season.

I know for most of you, we're well past winter, but I still have ice on the pond and patches of snow in the shadiest parts of my lawn, so I'm declaring it not too late to blog about winter.

So, in no particular order, these are the days of . . .

Candles
I went searching for better ways to use candles and discovered two winners. In the living room, I set a group of white pillar candles in a circular wooden tray with deep sides and then filled the tray with coffee beans. The lit candles warm the beans and release the wonderful smell of coffee into the air. And the coffee beans protect the bowl from the melted wax. In the dining room, I found a glass trifle dish at a second-hand store, filled the bottom with salt, and placed a group of the same pillar candles in the bowl.

I also put a candle in my room so I can read by candlelight.

Uncertainty
There is a potential cross-country move related to my work that has been on-again, off-again for months. One of the challenges of this winter has been to stay present in the here-and-now while also mentally preparing for the move.

Buffy
I introduced Kid2 and Kid4 to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and we managed to get into season 5 before it went off Netflix. I love this show, and it was super fun to share it with the boys and see them appreciate it.

Machu Picchu
I have wanted to visit Machu Picchu ever since elementary school, when Heather showed us pictures from the National Geographic. This winter, I finally got to go. It was a magical day, despite getting soaked even with my rain coat. It was the culmination of a week of Inca ruins, each grander than the next. We hiked Wayna Picchu in the morning for some amazing views, and then spent the afternoon exploring the ruins. The combination of natural grandeur and archeological splendor does not disappoint.

Big Fish
Kid2 and Kid3 were in our high school's product of Big Fish. Kid3 had enough lines that he got a microphone, which was a new theater experience. The show was amazing, as always, and we are almost caught up on the sleep we lost during production week.