Letter from Publisher

Have you noticed that the days are getting visibly longer and February sunsets happen after 5 p.m.? We’ve passed the midwinter mark and are slowly headed for warmer breezes and higher temps. In the fall and winter, I try to ignore the weather person talking about the start of the “meteorological” or “climatological” season, but on March 1, the start of meteorological spring, I’ll be celebrating the new season and the shift to daylight savings time that quickly follows.

In the meantime, we’re easing into February, and although it’s still winter in the Midwest, this is a good time to throw off our hibernation blankets and enjoy this transitional month of weather extremes. A brisk walk in the crisp air on a cold day, be it sunny or gray, can help us to reconnect with the season and find joy in the outdoor world. The Chicago area is fortunate to have a robust system of forest preserves, gardens, arboretums and natural areas throughout the seven counties and surrounding area. I’ve been checking their online calendars for virtual and in-person events, and I’m happy to report that there’s something happening for almost everyone. From nature hikes, skating rinks and cross-country trails to crafts for the kids, storytelling, history-related events, owl hikes and natural education, the options for virtual and in-person events are bountiful. Some of these events are covered in the News Briefs and Calendar sections of this month’s Natural Awakenings Chicago. I also encourage you to check individual websites and social media for a complete schedule and sign up for their newsletters for even more info.

Each winter, I eagerly await the return of birdsong in my yard, and anticipate the first morning when I’ll step outside to be greeted by the familiar, “birdie, birdie, birdie” of a male cardinal getting ready for spring. Cardinals are here in the Chicago area year-round, but for a time in fall and winter, we typically only hear their “chip-chip”-like call, rather than their song (which is associated with spring and summer). This month, writer Sheryl DeVore explores this topic of the mid-winter return of birdsong and offers some great resources to brush up on our bird knowledge in our Natural Chicago section.

Also in this month’s issue, February is a month to re-ground ourselves, enhance our personal energy and vitality, shake off the post-holiday blahs and make time for self-care rituals—we bring you several articles to help you continue on your 2022 wellness path. Celebrate Valentine’s Day and Heart Health Month by exploring ways to focus on heart-centered living and the heart-brain connection to health and joy. We also include some tasty recipes to support a healthy lifestyle.

We hope you enjoy our February issue, and I ask you to please send your comments and suggestions to [email protected] – or join in the conversation on Facebook, Instagram and Linked In.

As always, I encourage you to please step outside every day and walk in the natural world. Put down your devices and watch the moon rise, count the stars, marvel at a winter sunset, listen for the crackling of ice on a pond or the wind through the perennials left standing in your yard. Check the trees for the slow changes that signal the coming spring. Tune your ears in to some birdsong and revel in a spring-like February morning (they do happen on occasion). Enjoy the beauty of a likely late season snowstorm. Start some paperwhites or other bulbs in your kitchen. Order your spring seeds. Grow some microgreens on the counter. Above all, take in the quiet joys of the winter season!

 

Happy Valentine’s  Day!