Dream On

It was late January. But I couldn’t tell. The sun was shining down and everything it touched was warm. I felt like I was dreaming about another time and another place. As Stella, the dog, and I went for a morning walk, we stopped every now and then to soak up the rays. My body had been craving that brightness hitting my face and that heat warming my legs. It felt so necessary. And good.
On such a day, I had to take full advantage. So first, I ate a leisurely breakfast as the sun came in the dining room window. I gave myself time to read the New York Times. I washed our bed sheets. Then, we drove to the park for a walk. Since the sun was beating down, I had my first full out run of the year. What freedom to jog and run with no worries of cold or ice or snow. I breathed the warm fresh air into my lungs. I soaked in every second.

On such a perfect day, we drove the few miles out of town to the Fruit Hills Winery for a wine tasting. We each chose five wines to taste from their list of almost twenty. As we went down the list, it was hard to decide which one we liked best but I finally settled on their Petite Sirah, a slightly fuller and bolder red wine. Out on the winery’s side porch, looking out over the orchard and grapevines, we enjoyed a glass of wine as the mid afternoon sun still shone. Still in dream mode, we talked about an upcoming trip to France. After a bit, David Muir came out and chatted about his dream for an extended porch where folks could come and listen to music as they sip their wine. I am already looking forward to that.

On such a day, we also took a late afternoon walk at Fidler Pond and as we readied ourselves for dipping temperatures, we soaked in the last rays as the sun set, and a gaggle of geese flew off the ice on the pond.
A warm day in the middle of winter set me to dreaming of what is ahead, of what is possible, of what I can make happen. It set me down in another mindset for those 24 hours. I dug myself out of the cold, cold ground and freed myself from the protection of my four walls to open my wings for just a bit. It was a good reminder that spring is not too far away and will come around again, and that some dreams do come true.