Winter Wonderland

This morning we woke to fresh snow and a whole lot of fog. There was kind of an erie, strange feeling in the air. Walking back from taking Emily to school Lydia and I engaged in a snow ball fight that really ended up being more of a tossing snow in the general direction of each other due to the snow being very dry and fluffy. I began walking ahead of her and enjoyed the odd silence in the air. Just as I was beginning to think we were in some kind of bubble blocking out all outside noise over my head I heard a distant honk. And then another honk, only closer than the previous. The honking became closer and louder. I searched the skies hoping to see the flock causing the honking, but to my disappointment the fog was too thick. But as I listened and looked closer I realized there was no flock. A single Canadian Goose flew over head in the fog, lost and alone. I heard his call in hopes of finding his flock. I never saw him. I was sad for this lost goose. I imagined that if by chance geese have feelings, this goose was scared and lonely. I thought of myself. When I am lost in "fog" and I call out for my "flock" to direct me to a safe location, will someone answer me? Will I be heard?

One more thought before signing out for the night...

It was a crisp and chilly morning. A brand new layer of snow covered the already frozen ground. The sky was clear, the breeze minimal. I was alone that morning, enjoying a nice, quiet walk back from the elementary school where I had completed another successful morning of volunteer work. There is a small wooden bridge that crosses a frozen snow filled creek. Just as my foot touched the snow covered wood I heard the sound of an echoing and familiar crunch of snow and ice. I stop, close my eyes, take a slow, deep breath in through my frozen nose. The air was so fresh and clean. A gentle breeze gave me a chilling kiss on my numb face. I was immediately taken back to my youth on days such as this. I found myself lying in deep snow that I hoped I could get lost in. As a child I would stay out in the snow until I couldn't even feel the cold anymore from sheer numbness. I'd bury myself in the snow just as one might bury themselves in sand on a warm beach. I would lay there looking up into the wintery sky and go to another world. My world. I opened my eyes and found myself back on the small wooden bridge that crosses a frozen snow filled creek leading back to my small home. I took one last deep cleansing breath and one last look at my winter wonderland and continued putting one foot in front of the other, all the way back home.

This photo was taken this morning. All the large amounts of snow we had when I wrote these two experiences has now begun to melt very rapidly. Previously there was snow covering even the trees. It looked like a snow globe outside.