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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

On Winter

It’s staying lighter longer each day around here. After we passed the winter solstice, the shortest day, it began to happen ever so slowly. But here we are, less than a month later and we can see the difference. It won’t be long before these cold winter days will morph into the blessedly brief mud season and then comes spring. I need to stay in winter, present in this time. After autumn, winter is my second favorite season. It’s one of the more challenging ones; ice, snow, bitter cold, biting winds, but beautiful and so very much of this place. I strayed from New England, but only once, only briefly and scurried back to the six state region that feels like home. And this region has winter. I’ve never been one to crave a “summer” vacation in winter. Oh sure, I daydream about swimming in a pool, drenched in sunshine, but I never hunger for the trip south to Florida or the Caribbean in January or February. Besides, with summer my least favorite season, why would I suddenly insert a chunk of it into winter?

Nope. Shrug on another sweater, pull on the wool socks. Think tea and cocoa, soups and stews. Step outside into the still winter air. Exhale the cloud of warm body/warm house breath and marvel at seeing the invisible. Listen for the black capped chickadees. Wait, they’re never far away. There they are: ”chick a dee dee dee dee dee” as they flit from branch to branch. The first winter we lived here, I stood statue still, my outstretched palm filled with bird seed as the tiny chickadees circled. After many frozen moments, just before I thought I would give in to fatigue and frustration, one landed, feather-light on my finger, little claws gripping, bobbed its head, snatched a seed and darted away! I wanted to squeal with delight, but remained still, grinning from ear to ear, fatigue forgotten, as it happened again and again. I felt like the princess in the Disney films, animated little birds singing above my head, tying ribbons into bows to transform the mere mortal girl into something magical.

Winter.
Be here now.
Will do.

6 comments:

Sue said...

when your winters are as spectacular as the pictures you put up, I would even brave the cold!! To be honest, I'm a summer girl. Not a huge beach fan, but I love getting up in the mornings to bright, sunny skies. I've never experienced real winter weather before - I might need to plan a ski trip sometime!!

Anonymous said...

I'm really gonna have to rethink spring being my favorite season after that post. Beautiful.

Ms Brown Mouse said...

I'm with you on the summer thing - and the excitement over animal/bird contact. One of my biggest thrills was having my hand licked by a giraffe!

Pink Granite said...

Hi Sue -
I admit the photos capture the prettiest part of the experience! But I really do enjoy winter in this area.
If your bright and sunny skies are crisp and dry as well, then I could get quite envious! But if you have humidity the way we do in summer, that's a different story!
;o)
- Lee

Hi Tonya -
Thank you for the kind words!
;o)
- Lee

Hi DMM -
I knew we shared similar opinions on heat and humidity!
A giraffe! Wow! That is so cool! How did you ever get so close to have such an amazing experience?
;o)
- Lee

Anonymous said...

At a Zoo, they had a overnight and breakfast thing at Dubbo and I, of course, jumped at the chance ;)

Pink Granite said...

Hi DMM -
I had never heard of Dubbo, but I found it on Google maps.
Very cool!
;o)
- Lee