Winter is generally slow and quiet around here, but with recent bouts of sickness rolling through the village and some extremely cold weather, we’ve been canceling even some of my regular events like song circle and women’s circle. It’s been even more quiet and uneventful than usual.
In other words, it’s the time of year when it’s not always easy to see life at Dancing Rabbit as special.
But I find that when I write about what I am loving, or at least really liking, about my life, it gives me a new sense of appreciation for this unique choice we’ve made to live in middle-of-nowhere Missouri.
Christina here, writing about what I am loving about my life at Dancing Rabbit in late winter.
The sun though the tall grass. The dry grass out on the prairie is incredibly tall right now, over six feet in some places, and if you go out in late afternoon the sun hits it in a way that lights it up and makes it glow in a golden way that’s really quite beautiful.
The sauna and a cold pond dip. The temperatures this week are warming up, but when they have been cold enough to freeze the pond, we have been dipping in the water through a hole in the ice. It’s a bit scary to walk over the slippery ice and it’s very tricky to lower myself into the hole, but the shock of that cold water never gets old, and the relaxation I feel after a few rounds of hot sauna and cold water just can’t be beat.
Being snug at home on a cold day. Our house can be a bit chaotic, loud, and messy, but it is definitely very snug and warm. And even though I left teaching nine years ago, I’m still a bit surprised to be home in the middle of the day. Sitting inside our warm house and looking out at a cold day is one of my favorite things in winter.
Max’s plant table. We have a table in the living room that used to be the homeschool table; some time this year I finally gave up the idea that someone would spontaneously pick up a book or a set of paints and I put those materials away. Then my son Max decided we needed more plants in our house, and so now that table has become the plant table. With a few twinkly lights and various sizes and shapes of plants, it really adds more coziness to the house.
Having espresso and tea first thing in the morning. Okay, this is minor, I know, but I have started making myself a cup of herbal tea to have after my morning coffee and I just love that the special beverage time is extended just a little bit in the morning. I basically find it hilarious that I pair my double espresso latte with relaxing herbal tea.
Getting up early to read while everyone else is asleep. I’ve found that if there is something that is important to me, something I really want to happen during the day, I need to get up early and do it first thing. So I have been making my espresso and tea and setting a timer to sit down and read 15 minutes at a time. This seems like such a small amount, but it does add up.
Meeting friends for walks. While the winter weather makes some things tricky, it’s a perfect time for walks out on the land. The ground is frozen, not muddy; the ticks and mosquitos are dormant; and I can protect against the cold and wind with enough layers. Watching my dog Tango run and play never gets old, and I get to catch up with friends.
The sun across the floor of our house on a sunny day. One really lovely thing about living in a house that was built for passive solar is that on a sunny day in winter, the sun goes all the way to the back wall of the living room. Often that sun is enough to heat the house, and it really makes it feel so warm and comfortable inside.
Kale Salads. Uh, no, I didn’t freeze any kale from the garden this summer, and no, I’m not eating kale that I am growing in a hoop house. It’s just regular old kale from the grocery store, but dang, my body really appreciates the greens this time of year. I’ve been making a big batch of kale salad with plenty of garlic and having some with my lunches.
The spaciousness of an unscheduled day. Soon enough I’ll be back into the routines of making cheese, working in the garden, and conducting visitor workshops, but for now, I have so much more open time in my schedule. To be honest, this does cause me a bit of anxiety when I wonder if I’m making the best use of my time, and it also often results in me spending more time than I should shopping for second-hand clothes online, but I’ll be rushing around the village soon enough.
Living in the seasons means that sometimes the parts of my life that I love the most are on hold for a bit, but I’m enjoying the quiet and space for now.
Christina Lovdal Gil is one of five members of DR’s Village Council, a governing body of our village. Members serve two-year terms.