January Twilight

"The shortest day has passed,
and whatever nastiness of weather we may look forward to in January and February,
at least we notice that the days are getting longer.

Minute by minute they lengthen out.
It takes some weeks before we become aware of the change.

It is imperceptible, even as the growth of a child,
as you watch it day by day,
until the moment comes when,
with a start of delighted surprise,
we realize that we can stay out of doors
in a twilight
lasting for another quarter of a precious hour."

- Vita Sackville-West

My twilight included watching our two big ol' dogs frolicking as the sun set. What made them so playful, I wonder? Our horses, in my mind's eye, would prance and kick and rear before a snowstorm or thunderstorm.

I used to love watching them.

I loved watching the dogs tonight, too. Kind of a smaller version of the equine, this canine play.

After all the frolic, I came in to start dinner:

Mozart in the background, potato casserole (My Lutheran friends and I call it Funeral Potatoes.) and a spinach-mushroom frittata are in the oven.

And bright and early tomorrow?

I go to an orchestra "affair"
to buy new strings for an old cello.

Life just progresses through the season.