Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Snow, Snow, and More Snow
When you haven't seen snow in years, when you have been living in a city where it never, ever snows (or seemingly even changes seasons), then to see snow is a real gift. You look at it with "beginner's mind," the excitement of a child or a dog discovering something new and rare in your environment. You want to touch it, to taste it, smell it, to feel its cold essence on your face.
But of course, you are a sober adult--you know your will freeze your fingers if you venture out, you might get your feet wet (even with your new snow boots), the neighbors might think you were crazy if you started making angels in the snow outside their windows.
So, instead, you enjoy a feast for the eyes, as the snowflakes fall gently, lazily, on the boughs and branches and cars unlucky enough to be parked in the open.
But inside it is warm and cozy and safe. You look out on the Winter Wonderland taking shape outside. You count your blessings that your big front windows allow you to see far out all the way to the bottom of the mountains, though the Flatirons themselves are hidden behind mist and the descending white veil.
You don't go out. But you do step our on your balcony and take a few canera shots, in part to see if you can discover an arrangement of trees and fences to create something lovely, in part just to capture a lasting memory of this special day.
The day has indeed been a gift--even if the electricity did go out this morning in the middle of your load of clothes being washed across the hall, even if the neighbors downstairs have reported that your bathtub is leaking onto their apartment and plumbers will have to come in, even if your T. V. failed (the dish lost the signal) just as you were riveted to the weather report.
The electricity came back on soon, the wash finished in good time, the plumbers decided not to come today but maybe tomorrow, the T. V. found its signal in time for the evening weather report.
In all, a memorable day, unlike any you have known since you lived in Boulder all those decades ago.
And, of course, the natives all insist, "This weather is very unusual for this time of year." Have you ever heard this before?
