Winter Blues

And now for a shocking confession.  I am mourning the loss of old fashioned winters.

Over the past couple of months, the mere trickle of a few snowflakes has stirred great excitement.  But, that excitement has been very short-lived because instead of bringing their friends, those flakes were the long and the short of what winter has had to offer.  I am, by far, a better equipped person for the winter months than the summer months.  If it weren't for being such a huge fan of sunshine, I would take winter year round.  I am the champion wimp of all wimps in extreme heat, and I can't even be quieted by air conditioning because I'm not a lover of that either.  The artificial cold is always too cold, and the extreme heat is suffocating.  It doesn't help that I'm borderline albino, so the sun is not kind to my skin even when I slop on the best and strongest sun protection.

Some of my fondest memories from childhood are those when the snow fell...and fell...and fell.  I was lucky enough to grow up in a neighborhood that offered amazing terrain for sled-riding and also close proximity to local businesses, like a video rental store, drug store and fast food joint.  So, once old enough, we'd venture out into the snow, play and then walk to where we could to exploit the guilt-free pleasures of snow days.  In fact, I'm not sure where I got the money, but I clearly remember purchasing my copy of The Beatles Anthology 1 on one such jaunt because the video store happened to carry it.

As I grew up, I started to love going out into the snowy days and nights to listen and observe.  The quiet to be found after a really good snow is hard to capture in any other setting.  And then there are the amazing sights--piles of snow accumulating in the most amazing places, performing high-wire acts, birds in search of vittles, the splendid greens peeking through the otherwise white canvas.  And then there was my trip to Colorado, during which I got to see my first ever hoar frost (picture at right).  Amazing!

And so, as the days and months wear on, I hope that Old Man Winter will graciously give the Ohio Valley at least one solid dose of his grandeur this year.  Kids need to be reminded of the magic of snow days, and we adults need to be reminded of what wonderful gifts nature affords us year round.