. . . Tonight as it gets cold

tell yourself

what you know which is nothing

but the tune your bones play

as you keep going. And you will be able

for once to lie down under the small fire

of winter stars. . .

~ Excerpt from Lines for Winter, by Mark Strand

Good morning, January, I said and went out into the frost. Frost on the windows, frost on the grass, a thin coating of ice on the river and wetlands. Frozen mud. Uninviting sky. But the brook, as always, a quiet inspiration. Old leaves shining under glassy ice before they are gone into the underground. Then I swam my mile and felt strong. And happy for the holidays to have come and been and gone. I enjoyed meeting with my Ukrainian friends, our now unofficial monthly group. Hard times with bombing for those with loved ones in Kiev. Stayed very cold today. Got a lot of catching up, admin, etc. And the putting away of the Christmas tree and recycling all the dried greens and packing up the ornaments and sweeping out the needles. A lovely refresh. Early darkness, casual dinner, watching my grandson, and the dark night of dreaming ahead.