(With apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning) How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways … I hate having to wear socks in the house because my ankles get cold … I hate to have to take 10 minutes just to assemble all the clothing I now need to be comfortable if I step outside … I hate feeling the cold bite my face or numb my fingers and toes … I hate walking on a snowy road or sidewalk in constant fear of falling and breaking something … I hate driving in the snow, especially when other drivers still think it’s summer! And I really hate seeing freezing rain in the forecast! Living in the country, ice storms can wipe out the electric grid and we can be without power for days. It has already happened more than once, and as our climate changes, it is likely to happen even more. If the power is out and the roads are unusable, that can become a serious health risk. But it wasn’t always like this. I used to get excited and couldn’t wait until the first snow came. Now I can wait and am disappointed when it finally does come. I used to love the sound of crunching boots that only happens when it’s really really cold. Now I still like that sound, but only because it reminds me of when I was a lot younger. I used to love sliding and making forts and coming in to a warm house after hours of playing, then wondering if my toes would get that strange unscratchable itch from having gotten way too cold. Now I am afraid of sliding onto my rump in a slushy parking lot and winding up in the hospital! So what happened? I guess adulthood happened. Responsibilities of getting to a job on time, regardless of how many inches had fallen overnight or if the plow had just closed the driveway in again. Maybe it happened that morning of my birthday when it was so cold the diesel in our Jetta solidified, and I had to wait for hours in an unheated store entrance for the tow truck to come and rescue me. This was pre-cellphones, so I had to stay where I could see the car. Needless to say that at 40 below I wasn’t the only stop the tow truck driver had to make!! And on my birthday! That may have been the tipping point, when winter went from wonderland to fool’s paradise. So, mostly, I hate winter. Things that have helped? Getting really warm boots that make my feet look like snowshoes but that ensure no more itchy toe syndrome! Heated seats (game changer… well, almost!). Paying someone to clear the driveway (best money spent-ever!). Parking the car under some sort of shelter. Being a snowbird for a bit more than 10 years (nothing quite like slipping your feet into sandals and being out of the house in less than 10 seconds!) Changing the wood-burning stove to a propane one (instant on/off, thermostat control, no more smoke, or dirt and bugs from logs, not to mention the stacking, chopping and carrying-- and it turns out propane is more environmentally friendly than wood!). Buying the super-size container of hot chocolate mix at Costco. Finally accepting that "helmet hair" is a small price to pay for not having your ears freeze off! Don’t get me wrong, there are some things I still like about winter. The snow is incredibly pretty, as long as you don’t have to go out in it. I love the hush that large fluffy snowflakes create as they slowly fall, or the sparkling "diamonds" in the air when it is sunny and tiny snow crystals are falling. I love opening the blinds in the morning and guessing what animals made the new track patterns across the snow. I appreciate that the cold ensures that we don’t have poisonous snakes and spiders the size of dinner plates! I also appreciate that the cold sets up the unfaltering return of perennial plants - quite amazing really! And that it also slows down human activity so we have time to rest and regroup for another year. So what about you? Love it? Hate it? Have an “it’s complicated” relationship with it? Tell me your winter stories in the comments below! I’ll go make some hot chocolate!
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AuthorMy name is Claire Bureau. Archives
March 2023
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