Saturday, April 5, 2008

Just What the Doctor Ordered



It's that time of year. The time of year when Spring grabs hold of the reins, but Winter refuses to let go. And so a tug-of-war ensues. Temperatures fluctuate by as many as forty degrees (or more) over the course of the day. Roofs are dripping, yet the water freezes when it hits the ground.

The settled snow across the tundra has sheen to it. Warmed by the sun and buffed by the wind, it has developed a glossy crust that shines and crunches with every step. The unpaved road has become fickle. In the morning it calls for snow boots, but by the evening it's clear that rubber boots would have been a better choice.

Carried by the wind, laughter playfully dances across the village. Like little parka squirrels emerging from their burrows, the children are out taking full advantage of the comparative warmth. Drifts and enormous piles of pushed snow create natural playgrounds perfect for sliding or digging or staging a snowball fight. Tonka traverses snow just as well as soil or sand.

Right this minute, it's snowing outside. Big, fat globs of wet snow are swirling around my window. Inch upon inch, the snow is building, covering the mud, making the world pristine again. Though the wind growls a little, the snow is quiet and inspires a coziness that smoothes those feathers ruffled by a busy, stressful week.

As I look out the window, my breath freezes on the glass. With a smile, I reach up and etch out a prescription: One full day of tranquility, to be taken slowly, preferably with hot chocolate, guitar music, and a good book.

Ah...just what the doctor ordered.

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The mountain of snow beside my house has become something of the ultimate sandbox. Not only is snow fun to slide on and dig in, but it holds its shape much better than sand ever could. So roads and caves will last and last, at least until the sun breaks up the party.

The two dark spots to the right of the Tonka truck are the beginnings of snow caves. Having grown up in the South, I am basically fascinated by that kind of thing and I am tempted to get out there, myself.

My next door neighbor and summertime walking buddy makes the most of what's left of her swing set.

Two buddies take turns swinging each other. The swing's chains had to be looped over the top of the swing set frame to provide clearance for swinging. There is about two feet of packed snow under the children's feet.


Mud and muck alternate with snow and ice this time of year. My snow boots don't like it much and, I must admit, neither do I.



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I too was fascinated by the snow caves that my children would make after blizzards when there would be huge drifts in our front yard. On two different occasions their LA cousins were visiting. To this day the LA cousins talk about the snow caves, snowball fights, cross country and downhill skiing when we talk about their visits to WY.
Sadly to say, I never quite fit into the small caves they built to fit their small bodies! :)

Anonymous said...

I would have been just like your kids' cousins. If I'd ever seen snow like this when I was a child...it would have been a life-changing experience! LOL! Growing up in TX and LA, snows were rare, but I'm pretty sure that I remember every snow that actually covered the ground from the age of about five. It's just amazing stuff for playing, especially when the temperatures are this mild. Last year some of the kids dug a cave that was big enough for five or six kids at the same time. I did get inside of that one. :)

Steve said...

That all sounds beautiful, Kimberlee, like it's an exciting time of year. I'm glad you're enjoying it. The snow caves would definitely be something I would like.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Steve. It really is nice having all this fresh snow falling and temperatures that make it possible to enjoy it. My dogs have been getting out more and for longer periods of time and THAT is a very good thing.

I have wondered what disc golf would be like up here. I think those colorful discs would be easy to see against the white snow and there are no bothersome trees to pose a problem, but the wind might interfere with accuracy a good bit (as if I'd be accurate anyhow!). I'll let you know if we give it a try. :)