Friday, December 7, 2007

A winter day

I fell in love with snow as a child.
Bundled in snow pants and the bulky hand-knit hats and mittens that grown-ups chose to do without, as they race from their warm homes or businesses to snowy cars in no more than a sweater and street shoes, becoming miserably chilled from scraping ice off a windshield with a credit card or bare hand—I delighted in the wintry world.
Dragging toboggans or with saucers tucked under our arms, we’d trudge through the woodlots behind our homes and spend the day sledding on the sand hills, covered with snow. For months, every radiator in our house was piled high with a continuous stream of the day’s icy, shed garments. The neighborhood basketball courts would be flooded for ice skating, and every yard sprouted a smiling snowman.

Now, in our more southern home, snow is light and infrequent.
I wait eagerly for the forecast of flurries, hoping it will necessitate a reunion with my favorite woolens—tucked away in a cedar closet for ten months, waiting for their few weeks of service.

The morning light is just beginning to filter through the trees.

Last night's frosty air settled on the few blades of grass and leaves not beneath snow.




And as soon as the ice is thick on the pond, we will hurriedly shovel paths.
There will only be a few days to play Fox & Geese.

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9 comments:

TR Ryan said...

Beautiful as always! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Your words have warmed the day and ushered in a longing for the return of that great white delight.

Marvin said...

Beautiful photos, especially enjoyed the ice crystals.

No snow in our forecast. No temps below freezing even.

mon@rch said...

those are stunning photos! BRAVO! I was one who grew up with the snow, ski, snowboard and love the winter months! Will then can't wait for spring to arrive!

Anonymous said...

Wow. Some really GORGEOUS photos on this and the previous post. I especially like the hoarfrost one and the snowflake caught in the spider web. Awesome!

Q said...

Lovely, lovely, lovely!
Hoarfrost is divine....
Ahhh...blue skies and crisp morning air!
No need to decorate, Mother Nature did it for you.
Sherry

Crayons said...

Hi Nina,
Thank you for this post. I'd forgotten the smell and sound of wet clothes on a radiator. It seems so long ago. The photos are beautiful, as are the words that you used.

Kerri Farley said...

Beautiful words....beautiful pictures. I especially like the female cardinal all "puffed" up.
And the ice on the blades of grass....amazing!

nina at Nature Remains. said...

These moments seemed so fleeting. The frost and flakes were so delicate and I wanted to get as close as I could to them to catch the intricate detail, yet
I found myself holding my breath in order not to exhale in their direction and destroy them.

Mary said...

Nina,

Your camera must be your best friend! The ice crystals are beautiful. I would love to have the chance to photograph them :o)

Like you, I'm not living in snow country anymore. Snow, especially as a child, was pure joy. And I still have the same feelings - decades later.

This is a wonderful post.