The First Blush of Winter

After a cold and dry summer, September, which plays the part of fall round here, was extraordinarily warm. Seriously warm. Unbelievably dry. Two weeks ago we were still in sandals contemplating air conditioning.

These last few weeks corrected that. We’ve had days of big winds bringing in the colder arctic air. It hasn't been extreme cold, just normal fall cold. It's just a little hard to get used to the dramatic change when most of us are standing here, just wondering why we didn't put the patio things away while the weather was nice.

We have a skiff of snow on the ground this morning. There is something settling about the first skiff of snow, something restful and peaceful, almost mystical. Time stops for a moment and dreams of crystal mornings with sun sprinkled snow crunching underfoot and frost thick on windowpanes dance through your head. You sip your coffee and think of snow forts and tobogganing down hills and skating outdoors on your uncles pond.

Your second thought is when you make your peace with winter and accept the need for thick coats, mittens, scarves and the fact that dressing up to go outside is sort of a pain.

Your third and longest lived thought has a lot to do with crawling back under your blankets and just staying there for the next 6 months. You regret that you can't.

I’ll stop a few more times today to look out the window and see the skiff of snow on the ground. I’ll admire the lacy way it clings to blades of grass. Then I’ll go on, as I must, accepting.