February in the Winter Nest

There's definitely not much garden to show off this month, but I do have a few other things to share in the meantime. We had some weather, I did some exploring, spent time in the kitchen, and of course, worked on craft projects. So it wasn't all that different from my every day life, only without gardening. You see, I couldn't do any actual gardening when the world was covered in snow. But there was plenty of the usual dreaming and scheming that I do as garden season approaches. Meanwhile, indoor flowers will have to do. 

Let's start with a weather report. We were having a mild winter until February showed up, then it turned into an old fashioned snowy winter like I remember having as I grew up in Michigan. It snowed often, and it stayed on the ground for weeks and weeks. Normally, we have small snowfalls that quickly melt away, so this was quite unique for central Ohio. I just had to visit a few of my favorite scenic parks to admire the all white quilt of snow. 

Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge

Pickerington Ponds

Pickerington Ponds

Pickerington Ponds

Blacklick Woods

Blacklick Woods

Blacklick Woods

One of the days while I was at Chestnut Ridge, I noticed a wide variety of birds at the feeder, so using my car as a blind, I sat there pointing my camera at them for a long while. 

I've been diligent at staying safe during the pandemic, but that means cabin fever can become a problem. One of my favorite pandemic activities has been to take drives out into the countryside. We live on the outskirts of Columbus Ohio, so it only takes a minute before I'm out in the country. This has been a safe way for me to be out in the world. It's rare to catch any photos, but occasionally the roads will be so deserted that I can stop briefly and grab a shot. 

It's amazing to think how much time I've spent in the kitchen during this whole thing. Before, I had gotten out of the habit of planning meals and cooking every night, and we ate out frequently. And we still don't feel safe eating in restaurants, although we do get takeout occasionally. So I've returned to regular meal preparation, and now we consistently have a refrigerator full of home cooked food. This is a bowl full of my own recipe for Southwest Chicken Vegetable soup, accompanied by homemade, from scratch, sunflower seed bread. Mmmmm. The bread recipe can be found here, it was actually quite easy to make. 

I have a fascination with making crochet blankets. There are many things to crochet, and occasionally I do switch it up. But mostly, I make blankets. What I like about making blankets is that I don't have to think very hard. It's mindless stitching, perfect for working on while listening to an audio book or watching television. Yes, I have a large collection of blankets for our own use, but many times, I make them as gifts. I keep a running list of projects to complete, so there are always more blankets waiting in the wings for completion. 

As for the garden, it spent much of the month covered in snow. 

But just this past week, the winter weather disappeared, and spring is trying to get started. I'm glad to report that I did indeed find a couple of crocus in bloom just yesterday, so my streak of having the garden start blooming in February hasn't been broken. It's not much, but I know it's just the start of so many more flowers to come! 

It's been a great month for window sunsets. I never did get down to the pond this month to see them better, but luckily, they usually looked pretty darned good out the window. 

Thanks for coming by my nest this February. I'm hoping that by the time we talk again at the end of March, I will have had my vaccines, and can relax slightly about going out. Stay well, and we'll talk again soon.