Winter comes in on eagles' wings.
Dana Bate
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Hello Jon
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During the past decade I spent one Christmas in sunny southern California, one in frozen northern Vermont and all the rest in unpredictable eastern Pennsylvania. Being an incurable northeasterner I enjoyed the Vermont Christmas the most, I think. The people, the cats, even the snow covered back yard.
I don't know what the reason is for actually looking forward to the winter months. Maybe it's age, experience, the robust challenge of dealing with cold weather: snow, sleet, freezing rain and temperatures below any human comfort.
Winter is a time for learning lessons. How strong am I? How adroit am I at getting over snow banks and down icy sidewalks? How prepared am I at putting up with the slap of brazen winds? And how well, when the end of the year festivities are over and the last lifeless bit of champagne from the New Years Even party has been tilted from the bottom of the glass, will I deal with the dregs of the long winter to follow, it's depressions and it's relentless lack of colors? The shortness of the daylight and the length of the darkness? The emotional temptations of the attacks from the nasty angel on my aloneness?
I do look forward to Winter in spite of all those things because I know how strong I will prove myself to be. And in spite of my cane and my geezerness (geezerality? geezership? geezerosity?) I shall face the flapping, predatory wings of Winter with cheerfulness. And I will do that because I want to.
DB - The Vagabond
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Look here.
This is an invitation for anyone and everyone to post a entry of their own on my journal, Vagabond Journeys http://vagabondjourneys.blogspot.com/.
The end of the year holidays are soon upon us and since it is a time for celebrations, remembrances, resolutions and plans for the future I know that people have a lot to say.
Not to take away from the postings on your journals, but to add to the joy of my own celebrations is why I invite you to write for mine.
I want to read what your thoughts are about this magical time of the year. This invitation is open to everyone: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Pagans, Agnostics, Atheists and the Uncertain.
Tell me your thoughts on Chanukah, Christmas, Ashura, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, New Years Eve. or any subject you wish or associate with this holiday season.
There are no limits in regard to length. The only limitation is that, for reasons so far unexplained to me, my blog does not take photographs, animations, videos or pictures of any kind. I deal in words.
Please accept my invitation. Send your entry to my email address dbdacoba@aol.com I will copy and paste it into my journal and it will be displayed promptly. You may sign your name or not as you wish, and you may leave a link to your blog or your email or not, as you wish. I will do NO editing or censoring. Eloquence is not necessary, mind or heart or both is all.
I have 8 Guest Authors so far. Check them out. Can i hear from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America? All are welcome. Admission is free.
DB
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6 comments:
You can have all the winter that you want and I will glady give up the one we have here. Won't be much snow, if any, but maybe lots of rain and bone chilling dampness and dark, dreary days. Beginning tomorrow the nights start to get shorter and every few minutes brings us closer to spring. In days gone by I used to like the urgency with which we had to prepare for winter in the northern climes. Canning and freezing food, storing the last of the harvest, getting the wood in for the fire, putting the snow tires on the car, making sure the house was sealed tight from cold and drafts and in general getting ready to hibernate for the long winter ahead. Every day of winter is one day closer to spring.
I can certainly relate to geezerness. Geezerality seems to be overtaking me more every year.
Having lived in Southern California for thirty years, my idea of a harsh winter consisted of a 55 degree rainy day.
When I moved to the Missouri Ozarks I was suddenly jolted into the reality of sub-zero midwestern winters. It took me awhile to get used to it, but I eventually learned to enjoy it. Blizzards and ice storms were somehow exciting.
Here in West Texas we have only two seasons: broiling hot and freezing cold. I hate the brutally sudden contrasts, but I still enjoy cold winters.
I'm rambling again. Sorry!
Before retiring from gardening public places I looked forward to winter because sportznazis disappeared. My arrival in geezeration has not softened me toward fairweather zealots who want to skin lawn off baseball diamonds and asstroturf everything else.
I scientifically know December 22 is the shortest day of the year, and that each day after gets a little longer, it doesnt seem that way. The dark dreary days just seem to go on forever. Perseverance does give way to hope as springtime nears.
For some reason I like the darker, colder days. Noises stop earlier in the day. It's good for my hypervigilent system. I am very ready for spring when it comes, though. I do think the hot summer can get much longer than the cold winter, but that is me.
We haven't gotten any snow or very cold temps in central PA yet. I wonder what the next two months will bring? I will enjoy the long winter with you!
Winter has some charm, but I after a few walks against the strong coldly bitter wind coming of Lake Michigan, the charm is a distant memory.
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