The first snowfall of the season arrived the other day with mixed emotions. The “adult” in me was not happy in the least since my plow truck was still in the shop and I spent a good portion of my morning shoveling the foot deep snow out of my driveway. The bright orange snow fence is an eyesore in our yard, but a necessity to keep the drifts out of our driveway. The furnace is constantly on as the price of propane goes higher. The snow is covering our solar panels so that we can’t generate our own electricity.
Luckily for me the kid inside is always anxious to emerge and even as I was shoveling the driveway I managed to get some play time in. Not that I had much of a choice since our two dogs love the snow and insisted that I show them more attention than that darned shovel.
Deep inside I really do enjoy winter in Western New York. I always look forward to the snowshoe adventures we go on. I can’t wait to strap on the cross country skis and head out through the beautiful countryside. I enjoy watching the birds as they frequent our feeders more often. These things I look forward to on these cold winter days.
As I awoke that first morning of snow and looked outside, the naturalist in me was awed by the beauty that nature offers even in the harshest time of the year. The trees were blanketed in a dusting of the frozen crystals that had fallen the night before. The pond was covered with a thin layer of glistening ice, creating a beautiful design. A bright red cardinal sat in a distant tree, stunningly contrasting with the drab woods behind it. The scene was that of splendor. A majestic beauty that only nature can create to entice our senses. For a moment I had forgotten about the “adult” chores that lay before me this day.
I guess we all need to look at the best in all seasons. Even those seasons that we don’t cherish have a great deal to offer. We need to learn to enjoy them.