The snow fell with abandon and the arctic freeze is descending upon us. Winter is finally here. Some people dread this time of year. I suppose the older I get the more careful I am with the ice and cold and snow surrounding me. My reflexes aren’t as quick and my bones are a bit more brittle. I have to stay upright; if I don’t I know I’ll take a long time healing. But I’m not one of those people who complain about winter. We are in Minnesota after all.
This is the season for a fire in the hearth and soup steaming in a big bowl. It’s the season for evening cocoa with a good book. It’s the season of rosy cheeks, warm hats and long knitted scarves.
Christmas is coming, but the winter season lasts well beyond that. After the gatherings and cookie indulgences the snow will still fall and the wind will become even colder. The nights will be long and the sunlight can be scarce. The silence that comes with a snow-covered ground is nothing less that peaceful.
Let’s clink our glasses to the barren winter. Let’s revel in the dormancy as it gives ourselves more time for introspection. Let’s celebrate winter.
It’s here.





