A Walk in the Snow
The weather report looked good. No snow was supposed to fall. No wind was going to blow and the temperature was going to be about 25 degrees or so. C and I did what any normal Minnesota couple would do at this time of year. We grabbed our coats, hats and scarves, hopped into the car and headed straight to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum to go for a walk.
Yes, we went for a walk. Some of the paths are cleared this time of year. A lot of people cross country ski and snowshoe there. Why would we want to waste a perfectly good day staying inside?
This is something that people from warmer climates do not understand. I'm sure if any of them are reading this they probably think I have my feet in a pan of hot water and and am suffering from delusions brought on by hypothermia. I know my in laws from South Carolina call Minnesota and Wisconsin "the Yankee deep freeze". They probably wonder how anyone can survive in the frigid temps up here. The only thing more insane than living up here in voluntarily going outside at this time of year.
I'll let you in on a little secret. All the season are beautiful. All of them. Even winter. This is an attitude you almost have to take when you live in this part of the country. It can seem dreary, lifeless and cold. It can also seem endless, especially when you've had to dig yourself out so many times you've lost count of the snow storms and you wonder if there really is a sun over all the clouds.
To me, it's like the earth is taking a nap and the snow is a blanket. Sometimes it looks like a plain white sheet. Sometimes the snow crystals sparkle and shine. This blanket allows the evergreen trees to really stand out. They are really several different shades of green ,something you don't notice in other seasons. The other trees look good too, even without their leaves. They look the the first sketches when an artist paints a picture. You can see the berries of all shades of red on some of the trees. (I want to say crab apple,but I'm not sure.)
Winter's beauty isn't the riot of colour that spring and fall have or the lush beauty of summer. It's subtle shades of colour in the snow. It's the white frost that covers the bare branches and makes them shimmer. While others may see desolation and barrenness that stretches on forever, I know better. It's a quiet reflective beauty that hints at more to come.
Yes, we went for a walk. Some of the paths are cleared this time of year. A lot of people cross country ski and snowshoe there. Why would we want to waste a perfectly good day staying inside?
This is something that people from warmer climates do not understand. I'm sure if any of them are reading this they probably think I have my feet in a pan of hot water and and am suffering from delusions brought on by hypothermia. I know my in laws from South Carolina call Minnesota and Wisconsin "the Yankee deep freeze". They probably wonder how anyone can survive in the frigid temps up here. The only thing more insane than living up here in voluntarily going outside at this time of year.
I'll let you in on a little secret. All the season are beautiful. All of them. Even winter. This is an attitude you almost have to take when you live in this part of the country. It can seem dreary, lifeless and cold. It can also seem endless, especially when you've had to dig yourself out so many times you've lost count of the snow storms and you wonder if there really is a sun over all the clouds.
To me, it's like the earth is taking a nap and the snow is a blanket. Sometimes it looks like a plain white sheet. Sometimes the snow crystals sparkle and shine. This blanket allows the evergreen trees to really stand out. They are really several different shades of green ,something you don't notice in other seasons. The other trees look good too, even without their leaves. They look the the first sketches when an artist paints a picture. You can see the berries of all shades of red on some of the trees. (I want to say crab apple,but I'm not sure.)
Winter's beauty isn't the riot of colour that spring and fall have or the lush beauty of summer. It's subtle shades of colour in the snow. It's the white frost that covers the bare branches and makes them shimmer. While others may see desolation and barrenness that stretches on forever, I know better. It's a quiet reflective beauty that hints at more to come.
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