Friday, March 11, 2011

Still giving

Of course, spring is wonderful.  It is not just the warmth and longer days.  It is the emerging life: green shoots, leaves, more birds.  But the last days of winter have charms, too, and they are easy to overlook or dismiss in the adulation of the coming next season.  

I took a good walk today amid bright sun and clear blue sky.  I did check before leaving and the wind chill was 21° F.  I did put on long johns and wore a scarf, knitted hat and gloves.  And, I was sweaty under it all after nearly 3 miles of fast walking.  

But the day!  Gloriously beautiful!  One aspect of winter sunshine is the mirror effect of snow.  Except for a field of sunflowers or daffodils, few surfaces make quite the brilliant stream of light rising up off reflected snow.  So, the lighting of such a day is only available on a winter day.

The air!  It feels bright, too.  Cool, cool in a way that we long for on some of those August days.  It is a commonplace to call such air "invigorating" but that is because it really is invigorating, stimulating, satisfying, uplifting, to such a strong extent that it is impossible not to feel it, remember it and comment on it.

So along with my friends, I am anticipating the snow drops and crocuses as they pop out, sightings of robins and other spring birds and, eventually, conservatively, leaves on the trees.  I enjoy each notch of advance of the seasons.  But, there are still thrills and gifts to be had from winter and its closing down.

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