Yesterday marked the ceremonial end of an era, in a sense. Though in actuality it was an era that ended several months ago, when we moved from the tiny cabin where we had been living for about a year to the full-size house that we currently call home. But yesterday afternoon, we prepared the cabin …
We made it.
It's been a long winter. A winter that, for those of us in Central Pennsylvania, has been harsher than many of those in recent years. We experienced more days below zero or in the single digits than I can remember, and snow has been on the ground nearly continuously all season. I'm usually not one …
2013.
I can't believe this year is over already. But when I look at where I was at the beginning of 2013 and where I am now, and all that's happened in between, it's hard to believe it's been only a year. Last January, I was getting ready to finish up my last semester at Penn …
Hygge.
I recently read an article about the Danish concept of “hygge,” a word with no exact English translation, but which means something like “coziness” or “togetherness.” The article focused on how this concept is used in Danish culture as a way to get through the dark, cold days of winter with high spirits. Last Sunday, …
The arrival of winter.
Winter snuck up on me this year. It seems like just yesterday that I was returning home from Japan, with the end of summer and all of fall ahead of me. The leaves were still green, the air was still warm, and friends gathered around the fire pit outside. Now, the first snow of the …
The last day of summer.
A ghostly mist hung in the forest as I stepped outside into the cool, early hours of the day. Watched by a sleepy dog, I performed the morning ritual, grinding coffee beans and boiling water for that necessary start to my day. But this morning, there will be none of the usual mulling over a …
helena kotala 