Sights, sounds and smells of winter

Although I am very familiar with winter as a Colorado native, we have had such a mild winter that I had forgotten a lot of the things I love about the winter season. That’s because I was enjoying fall temperatures most of the time and therefore not fully immersing myself in the quirks of the winter season.

A couple of days ago we had our first big snowfall of this winter season and I was reminded what I was missing. So, if you’ll excuse me, let me share a few vignettes that will bring the splendor of winter into our hearts and minds.

• The lovely rhythmic sound of a small, flat stone being thrown sideways onto a frozen lake – buzz, bounce, buzz, bounce, buzz… on a morning walk

• An almost mystical landscape created by “skeletons” of dark-figured trees when daylight comes to an end.

• Little ice fractures breaking and cracking and the dull crunch of fresh powder underfoot.

• Graceful “V” waves formed by an army of ducks and geese swimming in the icy water. Although this beauty can be seen year-round, it is stunning surrounded by snow-capped lake shores and jagged edges of ice that jut out into open water.

• Millions… nope! Billions of miniature lights shimmering as sunlight hits freshly fallen virgin snow

• Simmering spiced cider filling the air with the sweet scent of cinnamon and cloves

• Melted snow/water droplets that refreeze before they reach the ground, adding length to already formed icicles in sizes from small to fathoms

• Turbulent cloud formations that surprise and demand a few moments of your time.

• Miniature marshmallows that slowly melt over mugs of hot chocolate to warm and soothe after a day of outdoor play

• Puffs of “snow smoke” rise from the slopes of the mountains as the wind caresses the branches of the pine trees until they release their snowy cover.

What beauty surrounds us during this winter season! The old adage “take the time to stop and smell the roses” is not just for the seasons of the year when the roses are blooming. It is important, even vital to our well-being, to take time to see, hear, and smell what God has placed in front of us every day of every season. It just takes time… and that’s something we all have.