By February, I'm just trying to get through. The short length of the sun's rays, gray days, cold, snow... the total grayness of it all just gets me down. This year, I've fared better than most years as we've had days of warmth (t-shirts in January!) and lots of sun. It's also helped that I'm outside for longer periods of time - it used to be the shuffle: from house to car, car to job, job back to house. Now that I'm somewhat free to be outside, being trapped inside for too long is a drain. A drain on my mind, body and spirit that yearns for the 'fresh air.' I had a goal last year to visit the woods on the farm once a month (I made it!). You know, just take a stroll down to the creek. Nothing planned, just when I feel like I should. This year, I'm trying to take that stroll once a week. So far, it's easy. There's no biting insects, no poison ivy, no ticks! The work here on the farm is not as pressing - I mean I'm not weeding too much this time of year! The path is clear. When I feel like it's time, I get Marina (the dog), tell Zeus (my bodyguard cat) to follow along, and off we go. It's so simple, a walk in the woods.