Winter Hit Early This Year

Winter hit early this year in Minnesota (and across the country) with a one-two punch mid-week and again over the weekend. I’m not happy about this early snowfall because it probably means we’ll be seeing white ground until spring.

But I still find it wonderfully beautiful!

These images were all made from inside my house looking out.

There are two general approaches to winter and snowfall. Here are a couple of quotes that I think epitomize those approaches.

First there’s the isn’t it wonderful approach…

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

And then there is the “I don’t have to like it” approach…

“The snow doesn’t give a soft white damn whom it touches.”
― E.E. Cummings

Which one sounds more like you? I have to say that I vacillate between the two. But I work on both accepting my feelings about winter, whatever they are and appreciating and reveling in the beauty of it all.

I am planning to head out snow shoeing this year and go cross-country skiing, something I’ve not done for years. I figure if I can get out and enjoy it, winter won’t seem quite so long.

Here are a couple more quotes about snow that make me smile (for different reasons).

First the snow appreciation approach…

“Snow was falling,
so much like stars
filling the dark trees
that one could easily imagine
its reason for being was nothing more
than prettiness.”
― Mary Oliver

Then, the I hate snow approach…

“A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.”
― Carl Reiner

However you feel about winter

May you walk in beauty.