Solstice Food

Nine days ago I published a blog post about snow on the ground. I had shoveled my sidewalk from the front steps to the street, only to have a neighbor park his car where it blocked access to my sidewalk. My blog post asked the simple question, “WTF is wrong with people?” I guess their thoughts are on other matters, such as navigating snowy streets and holiday shopping.

Today, nine days later, snow is just a memory and the temperature is 68°F at midday. Sunlight brightens and dims as clouds float past. Today is the winter solstice. After today, daylight will lengthen day by day, even though today is the first day of winter here in the northern hemisphere. Winter always begins on the shortest day of the year, and summer always begins on the longest day of the year (the summer solstice).

Today is just a break in the cold weather. Cold will return. The boiler in the cellar will resume burning oil. The electric heater beside my feet will run once again. Central Virginia may see snow again before spring arrives.

There may be another break in the cold weather. It’s called the January Thaw. It usually lasts about a week and produces temperatures about 10°F above what is typical for the month. It doesn’t happen every year, but it happens more years than not.

There’s something about a cold winter that makes me want to hibernate. I don’t want to do anything or go anywhere. I want to crawl into bed and pull the blankets up to my ears. I want to drink hot cocoa and warm mulled cider. I want to eat comfort foods: beef stew, chili with beans, lasagna, warm banana bread, bacon grilled cheese sandwiches, and hearty soups.

That is quite enough of pondering food. I just talked myself into making a plate of french fries and buffalo chicken wings. My diet can wait until spring.