Winter Wonderland

Two weeks ago we received our second plowable snowfall in as many weeks. My only thought was how long a Winter this was going to be. The only redeemable thing about it was the fact that curling up on the sofa in a comforter with a good cup of coffee seemed more guilt free. In fact, it is a requirement of necessity in order to get through the biting cold. But sometimes there are surprises this type of weather brings besides the slipping and sliding and shoveling of mounds of snow.

The Sunday after the second mesasureable snowfall I was to meet a friend of mine. That morning as I stepped out my door, I couldn't help but notice the bright sunshine and blue sky. The air was crisp and cold and I could hardly wait to get into the car and start the heater. My journey would take me on country roads I had driven a thousand times over the years. I drove up the hill and around the hairpin S curve and crested the hill. The roads were clear and dry and I could relax and enjoy my time to just think and be introspective.

However, this was turning out to be a different drive then expected. Something had happened during the night. Something so beautiful and rare there seemed to be no words to describe what my eyes were seeing. I've seen winter scenery before, but nothing like this. Everything was covered in white. It almost looked like everything had been dipped in powdered sugar. Nothing was left untouched. Every house, every tree, every brush and shrub was coated. The fields looked like mounds of whipped cream. The deep green of the pine trees stood in stark contrast to the white froth that lay atop each limb. Mile after mile I drove and it was the same everywhere. I couldn't help but look at the beauty I seemed privileged to be seeing. I felt wrapped in a cacoon of white. Everything looked so pure, so clean, so virginal. It was amazing to behold. At one point I passed a weeping willow tree whose leaves were long gone. But even this was transformed. Every limb was coated and draped in such a way that it looked as though she were bowing to some unseen noble personage. As I rounded a curve there were horses in a field lazily eating what lay beneath the white snowy foam. For a moment they seemed surreal in their presence amidst the field of white. I don't know what happened overnight, but it was beautiful and I was glad to have seen it. I was awed at the splendor surrounding me.

That evening this phenomenon, this quirk of nature, was explained. The weatherman had taken note of it and said that it was a rare occurance of freezing fog. Well there you have it. Explanation given. Science had taken an indescribable scene, a once in a lifetime event, and explained it by simply being nothing more then freezing fog. I can't help but say that I was just a tad disappointed. I didn't want a scientific explanation. I wanted the fairytale allure of beauty unknown. Maybe it's the little girl in me. No matter. The beauty of what I saw that day went well beyond any words I could use here to describe what my eyes beheld. And the memory will be in my mind for a long time to come. I saw the hand of a Master Craftsman at work that morning and for that I am thankful.