February

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul- and sings the tunes without words and never stops at all." Emily Dickinson

February inspires one to poetry, with Valentines Day right in the middle of the month.

And in February we need hope.

Hope that February will release it's grip on us and propel us forward into a more hospitable environ. One with sunshine, softness, and gentleness of spirit. One without layers and boots, scarfs and frozen fingers and noses. One with pointy shovels and not straight edged shovels. And one with green tender shoots, brown dirt and colors other than white and grey.

February is half over. And we are determined to make it through.

Thank goodness. We have had enough snow and extremely cold weather.

But I've been thinking about my last couple of February's. They have been eventful.

Two years ago, (almost hard to believe it's been that long ago) Elizabeth and I were treking down to Manhattan at the beginning of February for the making of my mask and my simulation. Yes, I was a bit like Hannibal Leckter for a couple of months there. A mask conformed to my face was made and on a daily basis I would be bolted down to the table, so as not to move a muscle, and receive the 5 shots of radiation to the affected areas. I spent February and March living in Hope Lodge and making daily subway runs to Memorial Sloan Kettering. We developed a family on the ninth floor at the Lodge and sadly I'm the only one left from my months there. After my last treatment they asked me if I wanted the mask to take home. I thought that would be a bit goulish but Ethan was disappointed in not being able to see it.

Last February we were visiting 44 East Main almost everyday, thinking, planning, praying, investigating possibilities of making it into a bed and breakfast. February saw us put a purchase offer in and buy the property with an ambitious goal of opening in July. For the next few months, while our wonderful contractor demolished, gutted, and then reinventing, Elizabeth and I were frequenting bathroom showrooms, ordering fixtures, tile, vanities etc, picking out paint colors, looking at fabric swatches for reupholstering common room furniture, going to auctions, antique barns and flea markets, painting furniture, developing websites and business cards and business plans. Last February passed by without us noticing.

Rob's dad was born in February and he would have been 98 this year. We miss him here. He was strong and tenacious and full of the Word of God.

This past weekend we celebrated Valentines Day at the Inn a few days before the 14th. We had red roses, red cloth napkins with hearts, poetry books about in case someone wanted to recite some verse, heart cookies in the afternoon and plenty of chocolates in each room. While it was freezing outside it was warm, loving and tender in.

This February has been a month of music. Rob and I went to an Emanuel Ax concert were he performed an all Schubert concert. He was amazing. And another afternoon we heard baroque music, Handel's Water Music performed by the Orchestra of Northen New York, harpsichord and all. It was beautiful.

This week I am trying out two new french toast recipes. Since my "boys" are not here to be the official guinea pigs, I have asked two of my friends to come for brunch and be food critics. I'll let you know how the adventure turns out.

On the 22 of this month I will find out if the village will approve my request to have a small flock of hens in the barn at the Inn. It has the original chicken coop with the original nesting boxes. We'll see, but I think it would be fun to have eggs fresh from the barn each morning.

And we shall see what next February has in store for us.

The possibilities are endless........