Winter greetings to you all, wherever you may be this February. Someone I work with in education recently described this period of the winter season in Iowa as ‘the doldrums of winter’. I must agree that with each bitter cold, gray sky day that passes, it feels like a very accurate description. That said, what warms me is when I read a poem that resonates deeply, or a photograph that captures a moment of pure joy. Creative expression has the ability to take us out of the doldrums and offer light. As our featured photographer in this edition, B. Lynne Zika, wrote in her artistic statement: “The human spirit is compelled to create. As a species, we’re so fortunate to do so with a pen, a brush, a camera, a needle and thread, a chisel, a vocal chord, a lump of clay.” Thank you to all of our talented contributors for a rich and moving collection of poetry, fiction, nonfiction and photography. To all of our readers, here’s to more sunlight each day, more warmth in our bones, and moving out of the doldrums.

Peace to you,
Laura, Leslie & Mary