Winter 2026

~ MaryG

This is the first winter in forever that I’m not going to Florida for at least a week. I’m staying here in the cold with my husband—and his new knee—for the entire winter. And it sure is a cold and snowy one. We have a huge snow bank in our driveway and major icicles hanging off our roof. I’m worried about ice dams causing leaking into the house (so far, so good).

There’s a garden under that huge pile of snow. The plow guy has no other place to put the snow. I hope at least some of the plants survive.

On the bright side: I get to see my granddaughter today 😁 Also, the Patriots are in the Super Bowl, which is a big plus if you’re married to a huge Pats fan. The Super Bowl is on his birthday too. Also, my church is hosting an Emma’s Revolution concert Friday to benefit a local immigrant and refugee justice organization. It’s going to be fun.

Yesterday, I watched some of the congressional testimony from people whose lives have been ruined by ICE, including Renee Good’s two heartbroken brothers. Not a single Republican congressperson attended the hearing. I watched Aliyah Rachman—a woman with a traumatic brain injury—testify to the most horrific capture and treatment by ICE that you could possibly imagine. The conditions in the detention centers are subhuman, with living human beings referred to as “bodies.” Watch her testimony here.

My husband has signed on to get his other knee replaced in mid-March, so that’s going to….in a word…suck.

But back to the bright side: we moved an old treadmill from the unfinished side of the basement to the “nice” side of the basement and it still works fine. So I can “take a walk” even when the weather prevents me from going outside. I’m currently rewatching the entire original Sex and the City series while I’m treadmilling. I’m on Season 3.

I’m getting closer to the end of my watercolor botanicals workbook and I decided I’d like to keep learning in a class with a teacher. Last night I found a class at a different community arts center (even closer to my house than where I took my first watercolors class last fall). There was just one opening left, so I registered. I had hesitated to register earlier, because the class focuses on learning to paint one particular subject, which sounded kind of silly. But last night as I watched All Creatures Great and Small on PBS, I decided that painting “soft, cute and fluffy baby farm animals” might be just what I need in the Winter of 2026.

Peony and wildflowers from my Watercolors Workbook

19 thoughts on “Winter 2026”

  1. It’s funny – at our age my mom got really into her treadmill in the winter, and I’ve been going to the one at my apartment gym every weekday as well. I’m listening to podcasts on mine and my mom listened to music. Go us with tread-milling our ways through winter!

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  2. I watched Aliyah Rachman’s testimony as well and was blown away. Shameful that no Republican had the guts to be there. Shameful, but sadly not surprising.
    All Creatures is such a beautiful show. Simple, sweet and heartfelt. I read all the books years ago and am thoroughly enjoying this new version.
    Yay for the watercolor class. That should be great fun!

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    1. I never read the books, but I heard they were great. My sister-in-law isn’t watching this season (because it’s gone beyond the books, she says) but I still love it. I was checking out all the animals’ furs last night….imagining how she’ll teach us to paint them. Thanks for commenting 😊

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  3. Gutless, gutless. At some level, at least a few must know they are on the wrong side of history. Yes, soft and fluffy baby animals are just the thing for 2026. What a year it’s been, and it’s only February.

    Happy birthday to your husband! My son-in-law’s birthday is today, and we are getting on Saturday to celebrate. We’re even heading south of the border to New Hampshire. 😉

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  5. So glad you’ll continue taking classes, especially since you have another long stretch of recovery coming up.

    I’ve never experienced anything like the enthusiasm of Seattle for its Seahawks. Everywhere I look there are dogs in blue/green and sweatshirts/beanies in abundance. I first knew they qualified because fireworks were going off in my far-from-main-Seattle neighborhood. 😀 Thinking I may watch this year.

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    1. Thanks Stephanie! Yes, that’s what I was thinking, I’m gonna need some distraction from my patient in March.

      Superbowl should be fun. I am most excited for the halftime show though!😉

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  6. This winter feels extra wintery—maybe it’s because of what we’re going through personally, and collectively what Americans are going through. I feel ready for spring.

    I follow Kamala Harris’ official tiktok account, and it went inactive after January 2025. Two days ago it went live again with a video saying 2026 is going to be our year. (Don’t tease me like this!) I think it’s about the midterms in November, but still, it felt like a little glimmer of hope.

    You and I will both be nursing husbands back to health this winter. Sending you a hug.

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    1. I feel the hug! Thanks Kari 💜
      We will be nurses together.

      And yes, the midterms feel like the whole ballgame now. I’m just so worried they’ll find a way to not hold them.

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  7. My friend is flying out to New England tomorrow and she is prepping herself for the weather. We looked the other day and it was 14 degrees, but apparently the “feels like” temp was lower. We’ve had a warmer season out here… the other day hit 90, but it’s typically been about 80. So my friend is excited but not excited at the same time!

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    1. 80! Jealous!!
      She’s coming out on Super Bowl Sunday? Prep for crazy, if the Pats win. We haven’t had big snowbanks like this in many years. A hat that covers her ears and warm socks/boots are key too!

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      1. I have a few die hard Pats friends here on the west coast. My buddy who is hosting the Super Bowl party is one of them. It makes it a lot more fun!

        She is ready (or as ready as she can be) for the weather. I think snow is beautiful. I say that as a person who has never had to live in it!

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