Blahs, blues, better
February 26, 2008 by Shana
Sunshine, flowers, light, please.
It’s quiet times around here at G3. I don’t know about you, but I’m in the midst of a case of winter blues that I know I will shake, but maybe not this week. Or next . . . but such is life in Ann Arbor in February. I’m really ready for the farmers’ market to be back in swing, ready to have an appetite for something other than soup or stew, ready to see green and blue and yellow instead of the requisite gray and brown and white. Ready to put away scarves and gloves and wear something else on my feet besides boots. (The news that the city council voted against everyday wines/everyday cook in favor of the public golf course for the available liquor license does not lift the spirits. Nor does the news that Leopold Brothers is closing shop and moving to Denver. Ann Arbor is becoming a little less like the place I want to live every day.)
Sigh. Inspiration, motivation: where are you? I can’t say I’m subsisting solely on ramen, but I’ve taken more than my share of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to work for lunch these days. Dinners have been straightforward, comfort-food affairs, some of which I’ve been satisfied with: linguine with clams, chicken soup with matzo balls, some mussels with fennel, cream and white wine. Last week I made spaghetti with a very nice bolognese for my dear friend Claire, who seems still to live in Ann Arbor, but her jet-setting ways are making me doubt it. But nothing is really wowing me right now, and why should I share all that just-so-so-ness with you all here?
There are signs this is starting to turn around. I think I need to spend more Saturdays like the one just passed — enjoying brunch at a friend’s house, while we compared methods for poaching eggs, concocted plans for dinner parties, and reminisced about our favorite spots in New York and Brooklyn. He let me in on an idea for a cocktail he’s inventing, and I happily sat and listened and photographed. Slowly, inspiration came into view:
Pots of homemade jam.
Ginger scones.
Eggs benedict - my favorite brunch dish in the world.
More sunshine, more light. It’s on its way.
May you find inspiration, too.
I hear you. I almost put the cold frames out this weekend but…8″ of snow on the way, why bother?
Hang in there. This is the last week of the Evil Month. Revel in your lethargy, snuggle in your bed, and maybe March will bring you seedlings and motivation!
Keep on plugging - it’s almost over. One can appreciate the beauty of spring only after experiencing the dark, grey, cold days of winter.
Lovely photos of the eggs benedict - my favorite also.
Love, Mom
Thanks for the encouragement, Emily and Mom! It occurred to me today that keeping some fresh flowers in my apartment during February should become a new ritual for me.
I’m having the blues, too. What has helped:
*Drinking rose wine - tastes like summer
*Going for walks whenever the sun shines
*The music of Abba - don’t laugh! I saw the musical “Mamma Mia” last weekend because I have a musician friend that’s in the show, and it was hilarious. And the music really gave me a lift. Reminded me of house cleanup days when I was a sorority girl - we’d play an Abba 8 track tape and sing into the mop as a microphone. There’s no way you can listen to “Dancing Queen” and not sing along, I have found.
Actually, being in a Saturday morning walking group has helped me a lot. Also, I’ve been drinking lots of yummy Michigan beer. And, interestingly, reading food blogs helps too (really)
Mom - Great ideas! I’m afraid my iTunes doesn’t include Abba, but I found a great substitute: Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out.” It did the trick!
TeacherPatti–Mmm . . . Michigan beer sounds like a great elixir. Thanks!
It IS spring - the snowdrops are there under the snow.
Just visiting Tom Thompson Flowers on South Main Street is inspiring. The orchids and tropical flowers are incredible. Order a small arrangement for yourself - so much less expensive than a trip to the Caribbean - and pick it up on Saturday. The many arrangements waiting for their lucky new homes are gorgeous and spirit-lifting.
I’ve been working on my New Year’s Resolution - to learn how to make the giant meringues like clouds that you see in European bakeries. Crunchy on the outside, tender and creamy on the inside.
Best,
Connie
I DO TOO LIVE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!
But only because of your bolognese, you, and other dear friends who provide warmth as I look at the snow.
Is there anything drearier than the end of Feb. in A2?
[...] February was hard for Shana, but March has kicked my butt. I thought I had beaten the winter, really. It’s been a long, snowy couple of months, but in January I coasted on a wave of New Year energy and pleasure in the dark, rich tastes of braises and stews, and in February I traveled, and went out to dinner and made chili and looked forward to heading south. The last week in February saw my nuclear plus one (Mom) unit in South Beach, where we did not go to the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, although we ogled the crowd and looked for famous chefs, crashed the Enrique Iglesias concert on the beach and enjoyed random scenes like two grizzled hippies on scooters zipping by us while they chatted about Rachel Ray. [...]
[...] yes, and yes. What seemed impossible a bit ago is now really happening: everything is sunshine and green and yellow and fresh and [...]