The grimmest time of year

February the first. I feel I should be celebrating as we are rid of January - but February, boy that needs a large, deep, nourishing breath to face up to these next twenty eight days.

And having inhaled nice and deeply, my shoulders have dropped and I am ready to be positive about our harshest, shortest month. So here goes, the things I like about February:

1. All my family's birthdays fall in February. My mum's, dad's, sister's, daughter number one and a niece. 
2. Snowdrops. And wood anemones.
3. It's grim but over quickly.
4. The nights are really getting longer - we can bike ride after school, or hike over the fields in wellies.
5. Log fires.
6. Stews, casseroles, pies and roasts. Although I start to yearn for steamed fish and salad about now.
7. Seed buying and vegetable plotting - high allotment hopes this year.
8. Half term.
9. Fortieth birthday planning.

I can't think of a tenth reason to like February.