Nov 17 2014
Winter Begins
After a pleasant weekend spent with visiting friends, my restless dog and I head for the woods. A wet snow falls from a grey sky but we don’t care. We need to spend some time outside.
Snowfall clings to rocks and trees. It also covers the ground. This is the first of it here in the Champlain Valley, really. Last week a few flurries came down at midday and a dusting of the white stuff appeared on the grass before the sun got to it. But this snow is accumulating.
Winters are a challenge here in the North Country. You don’t want to live here if you can’t handle the cold, long dark nights, or the ground covered with snow for months on end. Although tomorrow afternoon’s temperature could melt off the snow now landing, it could easily stay with us for the next four or five months. It’s happened before.
I’m not big fan of winter and all it entails, but it’s good for literary work. If I lived in California I’d probably do a lot more hiking and a lot less writing. Sunshine and warmth have that effect on me. As things are, though, my life is more balanced. The seasons suit me.
During my first winter walk, I place my feet carefully so that I don’t fall. I go down once all the same, slipping on a slanting, snow-covered rock. While getting back to my feet, I laugh knowingly while saying, “There it is.” It begins.
The season of slip-sliding around is upon us. So is shoveling, treacherous roads, getting up in the dark, and frigid walks. But those crisp, blue-sky days when snowshoeing is such a delight are also coming. So are the many pleasures of indoor life.
Yeah, bring it on. I’m ready. I love Vermont year around. If I didn’t I would have moved away a long time ago.
One response so far
One Response to “Winter Begins”
I went for a run yesterday, in the snow and slush of the first snowfall (thank you, Gore-Tex) while the temperature was hovering around freezing. It was exhilarating. The snow, that is, not the labored breathing part. Overnight it plummeted to single digits – Viva Winter!