About Deep Cold
January 20 - February 3
As “Early Cold” gives way to the season of “Deep Cold,” we enter into the period of the year that was classically the coldest - deep, bone-chilling cold. Much of the world is frozen. Even in warmer climates, this is the time of year when nights can be cold enough that we may wake to see frost on the ground. Some of the joys of staying inside on cold days seem diminished in a season that feels like it will never end. Yet, this is a season of looking forward. We are now in the final season on the lunar calendar, and though it may seem impossible in the depths of winter, by next season the first signs of spring will be upon us again. The seasons keep turning, and life keeps moving onward. Even in the depths of winter, we have the dream of spring.
Deep Cold
Podcast Episode
In this fortifying episode, Alexis and Kit weather the coldest days of the year by taking part in indoor pleasures, admiring the austere beauty of the winter landscape, and looking forward to spring. Hiro’s Corner takes a deeper look at the seasonal phrase “big cold.”
Click here for poems & songs featured in this episode.
Words of the Season
In the Sky
Great Snowstorms
Icicles
In the Ground & Water
Bleached grasses
Bare branches
Evergreens
In Our Lives
Indoor Pleasures, including reading, knitting, visiting museums, seeing plays, ballet, and opera
resting and naps
Kotatsu
Hot water bottles
Stark scenery
Bundling up
Houseplants
The need for green
Setsubun
Groundhog Day
Spring is Just Around the Corner
Recommended
Reading
The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly is an enjoyable read which spans the seasons and the centuries of women and their connection to the land. This is a good book to start the year off with, as it spans the seasons in one read.
Seed Catalog Recommendations: Fedco Seeds and Fedco Trees (historical and fun), Botanical Interests (gorgeous illustrations), Baker Heirloom Seeds (beautiful photos and interesting seed varieties), Renee’s Garden Seeds, Jung Seeds
If you’re missing warmer weather and want a page-turner, we recommend When The Apricot Blooms by Gina Wilkenson