Winter in the west
It's the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. Here in southern Idaho we've had a cold snap, weeks of sub-zero weather. My kitchen sink drain has been frozen solid for three weeks. Whoever built this ancient (nearly 100 years old) cottage put the drain pipe on the OUTSIDE of the house. What was he (gotta be a man) thinking? No sink really slows down the cooking and cleaning and socializing. I can't face a pile of dishes from a party that I'll have to wash in the bathtub and carry back and forth.
Seed catalogs arrive with tempting photos of perfect vegetables. I should know by now how the packets will translate in my small backyard garden considering all the vermin that attack the plants, the late frosts, the shade from the neighbor's huge tree, etc. Winter armchair gardens are the most beautiful and productive, so I will order seeds and anticipate tilling and planting. I can't bear the thought of a season without a garden.