First snowy walk of the year

Although the world around us has been hit with snow repeatedly over the last few weeks, we, aside from the very occasional ephemeral flurries, were yet to have any real snow. That changed yesterday. You can imagine the early morning excitement when we suggested going for a walk at a nearby regional park. It’s a lovely sight with waterfalls, a fun hydro-electric complex with peak panels to see the turbines whirling and a very tall suspension bridge that the kids just love running along, every step making the bridge sway and bounce.

For me, it was a quiet chance to say good night to the world as it gets tucked in under a lovely soft white blanket. Although waking up to find the world covered in beautiful powdery snow one morning has its magic, there is a sense of closure when watching it happen slowly over the course of a few days. Watching the grass gradually disappear, the late fall brown turning into a cleansed blank slate. It’s little things you notice like the fur on squirrel tails looking fuller, bird songs growing quieter, the lighter “crunch” of footsteps on the ground and the sudden brightness of even the cloudiest days.

It is still snowing this morning, heavier and more determined than yesterday. They are announcing another 5-10 cm (2-3 inches) over the next 24 hours. I doubt it will stay, as the ground is not yet frozen. But for now, I will breathe it in and enjoy it, letting my inner child giggle with glee.

Oh how I’ve missed you winter. Welcome home.