What fire could ever equal the sunshine of a winter’s day, when the meadow mice come out by the wall-sides, and the chickadee lisps in the defiles of the wood? The warmth comes directly from the sun, and is not radiated from the earth, as in summer; and when we feel his beams on our backs as we are treading some snowy dell, we are grateful as for a special kindness, and bless the sun which has followed us into that by-place.
~ Henry David Thoreau
(A Winter Walk)
💙 ☮️
Even “no justice sunshine” feels great at this frigid time of year!
What on earth is “no justice sunshine”??? It’s 15°F here this morning, probably not as cold as it’s been up your way but way below normal for these parts.
“No justice sunshine” is what a local weatherman calls sunshine that appears bright and clear yet fails to provide much warmth. Personally, I find a nice sunny window much better than a gray day any time!
Ah, I see. We had a good dose of “no justice sunshine” yesterday, as we slipped and slid on black ice trying to take out the garbage and check the mailbox. Yes, definitely a nice sunny window with a good book and a cup of tea!
We have had sunshine the last three mornings I’ve been out running the car – thankfully, there has been no snow to shovel for a few days. It does feel good to see the sun and see your shadow too. It may be “ineffective sunshine” as they call it, but I’ll take it!
My mother used to refer to the January thaw, having origins rooted in New England folklore. AI says “it usually involves at least two consecutive days with temperatures rising above 32°F, offering a temporary, sunny reprieve from deep cold.” I guess we can’t have that down here with average daily January temperatures around 50°F!
Interesting it was New England folklore. My mom used to talk about it too, those rare few days that gave us a break from Winter. I didn’t know the criteria was over 32F though. We had a rogue day where it was 60 degrees a few weeks ago … one day only, the snow/ice melted and I got out with the car and to the Park and we had snow/ice storm the next day. I would really enjoy an average January temperature of around 50F … I woke up to -23 windchill and 6 air temps. I feel like the days have no structure at all: wake up, eat, run the car, check outside, scurry back inside. Today, it was cold in the kitchen, so I treated myself and read most of the day in the back of the house where it was warmer. Neighbor next door had surgery of some type (on a cane and holding onto someone which I’ve seen when out shoveling) so it has been blissfully quiet since Christmas. One New Year’s resolution I made was to read more and I’ve read three books since 2026 began, but that is not getting posts done ahead of time as I used to do, or decluttering done.
Still, reading three books in less than a month – that’s wonderful! It’s been ages since I spent most of the day reading a book. It must have been back when the kids were teenagers and Tim was gone at work all day. I remember hours of lying down and/or sitting on the couch, reading a book I just couldn’t put down, and nobody was around to interrupt me. 😉 Good for you taking advantage of the peace and quiet while you have it. The clutter will still be there for you to tackle when the dog resumes its endless barking again.
It has been wonderful and takes my mind off of everything else, especially as I couldn’t put any of the three down as they were so good. The last two were Nicholas Sparks books and took place in North Carolina and one they mentioned how hot and humid it was all the time – they lived in Charlott. Yes, that’s how I am looking at it as well … once the windows are open, reading will have to happen in the evening when she’s home. I’m behind in preparing posts and haven’t painted in a little bit either ….
I’ve just started reading Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. I spotted it in an independent bookstore Larisa took me to before the ice storm started. It’s been very many years since I bought a book in an actual bookstore! I enjoyed the movie so the idea of reading the book to understand the movie better seemed like a great idea. I also bought The Secret Network of Nature by Peter Wohlleben, an author I’ve enjoyed in the past, and have quoted on my blog a couple of times. He also wrote The Hidden Life of Trees.
Well reading took your mind off the storm and that seven inches of snow! My goodness! A good book can carry you away from everything. I am reading a mystery right now – it is okay and has its moments.
I still have “The Comfort of Crows” to read, something you read a while ago and have quoted on your blog a few times. I am trying to get through a lot of my more recent book purchases and eventually tackle the books my mom and I bought together through the years, all paperbacks, in tubs downstairs and some upstairs as well. We used to go to Waldenbooks back then. It was in an outside mall in a standalone store, so you never dealt with crowds. But we were big library patrons back in the day as well. We’d put in requests for books when they were advertised in the newspaper or “People Magazine” and reserve them for each of us, back-to-back weeks. And I worked with a woman who was in a book club and she always ordered the bestsellers and exchanged them for our magazines. I read on the bus which was great. I hesitate to buy any more books since I see they are so much cheaper on a Kindle. I know you like audiobooks too.
Good combo captured for most of the US. 🥶Frigid. Any sight of the sun would be welcome!
Hoping you are keeping yourself warm, Barbara. I used the prior warm days to winter proof my home. Wednesday I had a hunch that the hummingbirds might be migrating early so I put out one sugar water feeder on the porch. Friday mid morning I was taking a break from the winter proofing, sitting a few minutes on the porch with Yorkie. And a Rufous Hummingbird came up to the feeder 2 feet from my eye level face, looked at the feeder then faced me; eye to eye. It said “Click Click” then dashed away! I saw it clearly. It was not the usual ruby-throated hummingbirds that I usually have visiting. It was a gorgeous copper & orange with white belly and dark green back, a Male Rufous Hummingbird! They are migrating from Alaska to Mexico and I am so happy helping them on their longest migration. I have seen them 3 times today and was able to capture one great video! My heart is beating all over with excitement. I’ve never seen Rufous Hummingbirds! We might see a short glimmer of sunshine on Monday and Tuesday but out temperatures will be below freezing into 26 degrees. Sunday midnight 32 degrees. I will have to be bringing in the auger water overnight and putting out again mid morning. What I do for the love of hummingbirds!
Otherwise We stay inside to keep warm. 🥶
The painting and the quote make me miss New England and my younger days when I enjoyed the kind of January day Thoreau was describing. We used to spend hours outdoors, walking through the snow in our boots and snowsuits, hats and mittens, enjoying the sunshine making the crystals in the snow drifts sparkle. The chickadees were so cute scolding us if they thought we were encroaching on their territories. There is nothing like that happening down here, although I have had a few chickadees, titmice, and juncos at my birdfeeder. And yesterday, two bluebirds!
I love hearing about your hummingbirds and am thrilled you got to have the rufous hummingbird visiting you!!! I looked up a picture – what a beauty! It’s wonderful how the universe sends us little gifts to enjoy, right outside our windows, especially when we can’t get out much.
I enjoyed Thoreau’s description of how in the winter “the warmth comes directly from the sun, and is not radiated from the earth, as in summer; and when we feel his beams on our backs.” I never thought about it quite that way. I will think about the sun’s warmth in a different way the next time I go for a walk.
I deeply appreciate Thoreau’s vivid and detailed observations of nature, and how intimately it touches our everyday lives. I know a lot of people find his writings boring and tedious but I’m so happy to know you enjoyed this passage and will be thinking a little differently about the sun’s warmth now.
I haven’t read much Thoreau, but this paragraph (and your comment) make me think that maybe I should give it a try.
I hope you will find more of his words thought-provoking as you explore his writings.