Katherine Nicolai

It wasn't the weather that kept me home today, though there were certainly still drifts of snow banked beside the front door, and a low gray sky that hinted at more to come. It was just that feeling when I woke the feeling of being a bit overexposed to the world, of needing a day of quiet to myself that helped me make up my mind.

It wasn't the weather that kept me home today, though there were certainly still drifts of snow banked beside the front door, and a low gray sky that hinted at more to come. It was just that feeling when I woke the feeling of being a bit overexposed to the world, of needing a day of quiet to myself that helped me make up my mind.

It wasn't the weather that kept me home today, though there were certainly still drifts of snow banked beside the front door, and a low gray sky that hinted at more to come. It was just that feeling when I woke the feeling of being a bit overexposed to the world, of needing a day of quiet to myself that helped me make up my mind.

As I stirred my morning cup of coffee, I decided to stay home all day. to not go out unless it was to feed the birds or bring in firewood, or to stand for a few moments in the cool air and breathe in the smell of, well, winter air really smells like the absence of, of growing green things, of movement and doing. I guess winter air smells like quiet and stillness and repose.

As I stirred my morning cup of coffee, I decided to stay home all day. to not go out unless it was to feed the birds or bring in firewood, or to stand for a few moments in the cool air and breathe in the smell of, well, winter air really smells like the absence of, of growing green things, of movement and doing. I guess winter air smells like quiet and stillness and repose.

As I stirred my morning cup of coffee, I decided to stay home all day. to not go out unless it was to feed the birds or bring in firewood, or to stand for a few moments in the cool air and breathe in the smell of, well, winter air really smells like the absence of, of growing green things, of movement and doing. I guess winter air smells like quiet and stillness and repose.

And that matched my needs perfectly today. Once I'd decided that today was a day for retreat, I'd taken my nearly full journal from my drawer and my pen and a blanket, and went to the window seat that looked down into the small, sloping valley at the edge of my backyard.

And that matched my needs perfectly today. Once I'd decided that today was a day for retreat, I'd taken my nearly full journal from my drawer and my pen and a blanket, and went to the window seat that looked down into the small, sloping valley at the edge of my backyard.

And that matched my needs perfectly today. Once I'd decided that today was a day for retreat, I'd taken my nearly full journal from my drawer and my pen and a blanket, and went to the window seat that looked down into the small, sloping valley at the edge of my backyard.

In the summer, when I would sit here with the window open and let the birdsong and the warm breeze in, I could imagine myself in a treehouse, as all I could see were layers and layers of leaves. These were old trees, their toes dug deep into the rich lowland, and their tops level with my window. Now I looked out at their bare branches, spread like reaching fingers across the sky.

In the summer, when I would sit here with the window open and let the birdsong and the warm breeze in, I could imagine myself in a treehouse, as all I could see were layers and layers of leaves. These were old trees, their toes dug deep into the rich lowland, and their tops level with my window. Now I looked out at their bare branches, spread like reaching fingers across the sky.

In the summer, when I would sit here with the window open and let the birdsong and the warm breeze in, I could imagine myself in a treehouse, as all I could see were layers and layers of leaves. These were old trees, their toes dug deep into the rich lowland, and their tops level with my window. Now I looked out at their bare branches, spread like reaching fingers across the sky.

Nests from last summer were suddenly visible as dark clumps in the joints of those fingers. And I wondered where their former residents were at this moment, spreading their wings in bright sunlight, splashing in a friendly birdbath in a southerly backyard. or sleeping with a wing tucked over a head in a new nest somewhere warm.

Nests from last summer were suddenly visible as dark clumps in the joints of those fingers. And I wondered where their former residents were at this moment, spreading their wings in bright sunlight, splashing in a friendly birdbath in a southerly backyard. or sleeping with a wing tucked over a head in a new nest somewhere warm.

Nests from last summer were suddenly visible as dark clumps in the joints of those fingers. And I wondered where their former residents were at this moment, spreading their wings in bright sunlight, splashing in a friendly birdbath in a southerly backyard. or sleeping with a wing tucked over a head in a new nest somewhere warm.

I spent a while sitting there, writing in my journal and looking out the window. I wrote about small things from the week, some that I wanted to remember, and some that I was ready to forget. and putting them down on the paper helped me to do that. It gave them a place to live that wasn't my head. Eventually, I set the book aside and pulled the blanket closer around me.

I spent a while sitting there, writing in my journal and looking out the window. I wrote about small things from the week, some that I wanted to remember, and some that I was ready to forget. and putting them down on the paper helped me to do that. It gave them a place to live that wasn't my head. Eventually, I set the book aside and pulled the blanket closer around me.

I spent a while sitting there, writing in my journal and looking out the window. I wrote about small things from the week, some that I wanted to remember, and some that I was ready to forget. and putting them down on the paper helped me to do that. It gave them a place to live that wasn't my head. Eventually, I set the book aside and pulled the blanket closer around me.

Sometimes from this spot, I could see deer browsing through the trunks of trees, dipping their heads and nosing the snow aside from a mouthful of berries. But today, all was still. Everyone was staying home. Eventually, I slipped my feet back into my slippers and padded down into the kitchen. It was a bit past lunchtime Nearly two, in fact.

Sometimes from this spot, I could see deer browsing through the trunks of trees, dipping their heads and nosing the snow aside from a mouthful of berries. But today, all was still. Everyone was staying home. Eventually, I slipped my feet back into my slippers and padded down into the kitchen. It was a bit past lunchtime Nearly two, in fact.