It does not feel like Advent

It does not feel like Advent.  Too warm.  Even the plants are confused.  I understand it*s been ten below zero not too many miles north, in the land of my birth.  Even snow.  I wonder whether this blog will be captured somewhere in the future as a weather chronicle.  Today it does not feel like Advent.  Today I will focus on today*s things:  Do I go to work at the Clinic with a dripping nose?  Stay home and sleep in?  Work on the Advent Quiet Day I lead next week?  It does not feel like Advent... but it is.
Today I choose to follow the Star.  www.d365.org/followingthestar/   

It does not feel

Like Advent.

The weather is warm.

A friend notes

A confused forsythia

In bloom

On the way home from church.

Another friend notes

This is good weather

For compost.

I note this is a full week.

I have a completely unseasonable

Head cold.

My husband pats my shoulder

On his way to work.

So this is the way it begins,

I think.

I*m sure there must some connection

Between forsythia and compost

Head colds and shoulder pats

And Advent.

Some connection somewhere.