A Bit Like January . . .

I don't know quite how to handle the morning.  There's a dusting of snow on the ground, the sky is gray.  A slight  and quiet sense of gloom is hanging in the air. 

Could it be we're experiencing a real January sort of day?

We've been spoiled.  

We've been downright giddy about our winter.  In my case, I've even pushed aside some fleeting moments of guilt.

It's like we've been getting away with something---all this sunshine, bare ground for adding up those pedometer steps, ease in doing daily chores, safer winter driving, snow shoes sitting idly in a pile by the door. 

I've loved every minute, as has just about everyone else I've met in town and around our rural neighborhood.

One person said calving on their ranch could be great this year.  Another told me she's glad cuz she rolled her car on a patch of ice last February and feels much calmer driving to work this winter.   Even the deer seem happy and quite content to hang around.

I did notice one bad side to the situation last night.  

Mice are moving with ease.  One found its way to a trap just inside our garage door---a big fat mouse---and four Border Collies,  hanging out in the garage while we ate hamburgers and watched the ZAGS,  did NOT even notice.

That's probably cuz doggies don't usually go looking for mice in January.

Anyway, the mouse met its demise.  I opened the trap and flung it into the barnyard for the crows. Then, I reloaded, in case some more of those nasty creatures decide to come for a visit. 

On this January morning, I'd say another aspect of typicality (iz there such a word, or will it be one of the favorites coined in 2012?) is my preoccupation with geraniums.

My Burpee catalog came almost as a gift---either the day before or the day after Christmas.

I had casually thumbed through it but had not gotten serious about ordering anything until the day I thought about geraniums.

Before I go to Pack River Cemetery for permanent rest, I want to figure out how to keep potatoes from going bad in the winter and an effective way to save geraniums for dormancy---not death. 

I've tried many methods for both.  This year our "depression spuds,"as Bill calls them,  have developed a case of gray spots.  

The other day while cutting open about half a dozen spuds, for French fries, I found gray blotches within.  I cut around them and managed to glean enough leftovers for a batch of fries.  Most of the taters went into the garbage.  

So, I've got to try something new next year.  Apparently, storage within boxes in the new-old motorhome inside the shop is not adequate. 

Around the time of the potato discovery, I decided to purchase some potting soil and revive the geraniums I'd stuck head-first inside a double-strength brown bag in the shop.  

Pulling one from the clump, I surmised that it didn't look good.  

And, now, five days after planting the lone geranium in the new brand of organic potting soil from Co-Op, I have decided that my geranium dormancy worked about as well as the spud project.

Since I've only seen geraniums in pots and garden plots, I wasn't really sure if one could actually purchase geranium seeds. 

So, I opened my Burpee catalog to find several different types of geranium seed.  Spendy, but worth it if I can get a few dozen baby plants going.

Sent my order yesterday. 

On this January day, I'm looking forward to having those seeds arrive in my mail box and carefully planting them in that new brand of organic soil. 

I'll set them under the grow light upstairs here and hope for the best.

That's the kind of stuff we usually do in January; it mainly involves dreaming of a time when we can escape the cabin fever, get outside and actually work on projects with ease.

Yes, we've been spoiled with all the nice weather, and, yes, we need to be reminded occasionally that we DO live in North Idaho, and there's no such thing as a "free lunch" when it comes to the weather.

We'll pay somehow.  

Before spring, I'm sure we'll endure a few more days of dreaming how it's gonna be when we can play in the dirt and plant those geraniums with a clear conscience.

For now, however, let the guilt trip continue.  

The snow has stopped and the rest of the week is looking clear and nice.  I'll take it. 

Happy Sunday.