If you can’t say anything nice… I have been out-of-sorts. I have no desire to complain, particularly not here, but every time I sat down to write, that’s all that would come out, and so instead I said nothing at all. Going quiet for a little while seemed to be the right thing to do, to work through the cranky, unsettled feelings I’ve been feeling. It could be called cabin fever, I suppose, though really I’ve just felt itchy. Everything is on the cusp of exploding around here, and I’ve been twiddling my thumbs, itching to do something but knowing it’s not. quite. time. And that’s just frustrating.

On the first day of spring, I got up and out of the house early to walk with some of the other mamas, a feat I had not accomplished in many months. Three miles down, I had shed some of the irritability that had been plaguing my days, if not the extra pounds that have also been building through the weather-imposed hibernation. That relief was a fleeting sensation as we were quickly beset by more snow and ice plinking against the windows as I scrolled an Instagram feed of other people’s daffodils and cherry blossoms. I am missing the greenery of living in a place where spring really does arrive in March.

A friend posted the first photo in her #100happydays series this morning, and a prompt like this may be just what the doctor ordered, for when I’m reminded to look for the good in all of this stress and uncertainty… There it is, plain as day.

Sometimes it’s as simple as taking a few minutes to browse the photos on my camera card. This past weekend was Maine Maple Sunday, and because of some time constraints, we chose to stay local and visit a new sugarhouse right here in town. It was quite cold, but very bright and our neighbors were so welcoming. My little ones enjoyed a bowl of ice cream with fresh syrup (at 9:30am, no less!) and we connected with yet another family of transplants. My big baby led the way through the woods to the sugar shack, and I watched my not-so-baby baby truck along with her Daddy. Oh, the love for these sweet little ones of mine.

That’s about all that I’ve got today, though thankfully it’s more than nothing at all.