“Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand - and melting like a snowflake.”
- Francis Bacon

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Just a little bit flakey...snow flakey and a touch of cabin fever with a dab of spring fever

When it's all white, fluffy and clean. When we are inside and warm and cuddling by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa to warm our hands, little marshmallows floating on top looking like tiny icebergs...we tend to think of winter in an almost romantic way. We view the season in a different light. The snowflakes alight on the whiskers of kittens, or so we imagine. We bundle up and lay in the white feather-like mounds making angels. We giggle and laugh and literally embrace the cold and clean loveliness. Yes, that that is a part of winter that all of us adore. It's the part of winter that we yearn for when we are away from our northern home during the Christmas holidays. Songs are written about it and we sing those songs with friends and a tear in our eye when we long for the comfort of our childhood nest, the one our mother made for us when we were mere babes.


But, there is another side of winter. The ugly, mean, dirty and necessary part of winter when it begins to die as it is giving birth to the tiny smatterings of spring, a season yearned for after the cold and snow and high heating bills. We are tired of the dust and dirt when we clean out the fireplace. We tell ourselves that if we have to shovel one more pile of "that stuff" we will go crazy running from door to door on our block asking our neighbors if we can go to Disneyland with them and their kids for Easter break! We listen to the weather forecast wrinkling our nose at the mere mention of more of the stuff falling from the sky, the same sky that radiates the warmth of the sun. The sun that takes away the winter blues, leaving us with rosy cheeks and happy smiles.

Yes, there is a nasty, dark, dirty, messy and unwanted part of winter and right now, at this very moment, it is knocking on my door. I went out to meet it the other day and even spent some of my precious time cleaning up some of the mess it leaves behind. But right now I am hiding. I am warm and the sun is shining through the lace curtains in my dining room and I am pretending that it is summer and that my yard is green and that my tulips are blooming and that, if I wanted to, I could just open my back door, walk out into the sunshine WITHOUT my coat, and mittens, and boots, and muffler, and my winter survival tote that contains a flashlight, extra blanket, an extra cell phone battery (fully charged), a pack of power protein bars, and a pencil and paper to compose my farewell letter to friends and family, just in case no one comes to my rescue if I get stuck in that white stuff and no one ever hears my pitiful cries for help as the snow continues to bury me...my pathetic, curled up body not to be found until the spring thaw.


Or...maybe I'll tackle "every" part of winter...the beginning...and the end, through the eyes of a child. My grandson, Benny, knows how to enjoy each and every part of the season, no matter how he has to dress, or how dirty the snow looks, or how wet his socks get, or how cold his hands are (even when they are in his pockets), with a sense of joy and anticipation, looking forward to how many boats he'll be able to sail in his parents' backyard.

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12 comments:

Shayla said...

You have such a pretty blog. We've had even more snow today and I'd forgotten about the muddy season yet to come. The spring bulbs make it all worth it, though. You'll be enjoying them soon by the sounds of it :)

Sherrie said...

Hi!
Beautiful post! But I am so ready for spring!!! Thank for stopping by my place and leaving that wonderful comment about my sister and family! I really appreciate it!! Have a great evening!

Sherrie

Terri Steffes said...

All I can say is that I feel just like you do!

Anonymous said...

You should move to Arizona. Not Flagstaff of course. It snows there too. I mean the Phoenix or Tucson area. But then you would probably miss that white stuff. I wish it would get a little colder here. I love coats, sweaters and jackets but can't wear them very many days here. Oh well, no place is perfect.
Charlotte

Anonymous said...

Love the post. We seldom get snow, so the beauty of it lasts only a day or so, then the slushy side sets in. I am not sure I could live where it was cold all of the time, but love to look at the pictures. Have a good week.
Lorri

Betty said...

Yes, I'd love to have snow, but I've been gone from NJ for so many years now that I tend to forget what the aftermath is like. I used to enjoy going to visit my parents during the winter...it was a nice break from here and I got to shovel snow for a little while. Yesterday I mowed the front lawn and we put down sod where the brances from Ike that weren't picked up for a month killed the grass. I'm sure you get tired of the endless winters like we get tired of our endless summers. :)

Sit-N-Chat said...

We don't ever reach that second phase in the snow relationship. We seldom get snow. I think of winter in your first romantic description. Lovely post. And lovely blog.
I AM SO GLAD you are playing the game!!! Please send me your address on my email so I can surprise you some day when you get your mail. That makes three! I love to "create" even if it isn't as great as some of the wonderful things I see on blogs.

Anonymous said...

Snow flurries here today.... When I was a little girl I never could understand why people went to Florida for the winter. After all the snow was so much fun... Now I am near retirement & I know!!
I wish I were in Dixie!!
Love, Marilyn

Jillian's Bella Rosa Antiques said...

Interesting thoughts there on WINTER...it is dirty and nasty and I would take a warmer climate any day! Can't wait for spring.

Pretty pictures though of the "nice" winter! :0)

Pink Slippers said...

Lovely Spring will be here soon....
I just know it.
Wendy

Linda said...

Mimi, you write very well. I enjoyed your snow story so much and can relate. Although none has fallen for awhile now, we still have black yucky snow piles in various locations from the snow which started here on December 13th and snowed for what seemed like forever! Your grandson is adorable. I am a bit late and popped in to see the Pink Saturday post and was so happy I had!

Linda

Christi @ A Southern Life said...

Oh my, don't think I could handle that much snow! A lot of us in the South had a little snow this morning. I always loved it when it snowed as a kid because they always let school out!

Christi @ A Southern Life