by Alison

.

dreaming of sunshine

while enduring a few more

days of arctic wind

This little sun wearing sunglasses makes me smile. What is it? It’s a felted soap, lovingly needle felted by my partner in soap making, Clara. We have a little shop called Soap Fu on Etsy and we have a blast being creative and business partners. Clara is not loving winter much these days, so when she made these suns I knew exactly what was on her mind. Spring! Summer! Beach outings and flower picking! I like winter myself and Clara has asked me to stop praying for more snow. After this past week of single digit temperatures I am starting to agree. Come early spring! In the meantime, I am enjoying any images (and scents) of spring and summer. Everybody, stay warm in the meantime!

by Kelly

planning a party

because I’m turning 40  —

the roof drips at noon

by Kelly

I’m optimistic

about the warmth so I walk

without gloves — mistake

by Kelly

fingerless mittens

shouldn’t be a wardrobe choice

in January

Wow, it is warm! We’re approaching mid 40s today here in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. In January. This is bizarre. Not only did I walk my dogs wearing fingerless mittens, I also walked my dogs without a coat. I wore a big sweatshirt and was fine!

by Kelly

warm winds and blue skies —

predictably my husband

picks golf over me

by Kelly

I can finally leave

my mittens at home — the thought

of steak on the grill

by Kelly

in its rush to thaw

the pond flows into the street —

we greet our neighbors

by Kelly

for the first time in

four months I turn off the seat

warmer in my car

by Kelly

Wa-Thumpf. An ice sheet

falls from the roof and the dogs

bark furiously.

by Kelly

scrubbed clean of its clouds

today’s flawless sky isn’t

warm but raw and cold