It has been a particularly wintery winter this year where I live in the upper Hudson Valley of New York State. We have had lots of snow, ice, wind, bitterly cold days, and not much thaw. I have learned in the years since I moved to the country to lean into winter, to consider it a time to hibernate and take things slow.

But by February, I am growing weary of bundling up every time I go out, of shoveling my driveway, of defrosting my car, of canceling plans, of worrying about frozen pipes, of having to put spikes on my shoes just to go for a walk. I feel stuck. I feel trapped. I have cabin fever.

Every year, around this time, Anne Bogel of the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog asks herself “What’s Saving My Life Right Now?” My life has needed some saving this year. This year, some of the things that are saving me are long walks when I can get them, constant audiobooks, friends near and far, my yoga app, pistachio croissants from a local bakery, the window seat at a nearby coffee shop, icicles, and that analog photo-a-day journal I started on January 1.

I am so grateful to the photo project for its daily push to find something beautiful even in the gloom of winter and for helping me to step back and see a larger picture. On so many individual days I have thought: icicles again? Is that all there is? But I can already see how together they are painting a picture of this difficult winter and I will be glad to look back at it from the other side.

Despite the ice, the days are getting longer and the birds are getting busier, and I know soon enough the ice will melt and the season will change.

Deirdre, looking forward to spring