one very sweet facet of the descent into wintertime is that i can actually see all of my neighbors’ houses. in any other season, the forest is so thick that it isolates us all. i know they’re right there, but it’s easy to forget when there’s dozens of trees in between us. 

at nighttime, their windows light up the darkness and make it impossible to feel alone. when i walk down to my greenhouse after the kids are asleep, i can see dozens of them – some close, some way over on another mountain. cool tones, warm tones, some christmas lights. there’s a house in the distance with a string of green lights that remind me of a cartoon ufo. little welcoming beacons everywhere.

i put up the same star lights in every window of our house each year, right after halloween. they keep our home cozy and the winter blues away. i’ve never wondered until tonight if my neighbors can see them, too.