Easing in

stone pavilion at night with snow

We have made it thus far and the days of winter are upon us. The Christmas lights are doing their best to keep the night at bay and lift the spirits of passersby. I find this time of year can bring forth a mix of emotions; exhilaration at the clear light of midday, annoyance at the rudeness of shoppers to the clerks, and melancholy as the season is always different that what I mean for it to be. Time often gets away from me, and my best laid plans to slow down and savor the season get squeezed a bit. Even this year there is still that underlying feeling of having to rush to get some things done. However, this year it has been way easer to scale things done, to focus on the pace of each day a little bit more. We are warm, safe, fed and healthy, so other than seeing friends and family at will what more could we actually want?

Carnival Hill

Back in the day, about 100 years back, this hill hosted the Winter Carnival. You wouldn’t know it now, but people came by the train load from as far as Boston & Worcester to take part. There were local hotels and inns for lodging, all gone now, some lost to fires.

It was a different time, no better, no worse than now. The hill still hosts sledding and has been set aside from development, but people’s tastes changed, train lines fell out of use and the carnival ceased to be. Cars allowed people to held to larger places to ski, and many of those places have ceased to operate as people have preferred ski resorts. It is the relentless march of time and trends.

Then and now

Morning sun and twilight glow. The view from the old house and the new. Much has changed, but the snow falls the same. There is much to commend each of the views. One gives solitude, the other a feel of community.

The bend ahead

Now that the first big snowstorm is behind us, and the warm up needed to get the roofs clear, we can continue the trek towards winter. The holidays are rising on the horizon requiring a third trip to the local bookstore to grab just a couple more gifts. Now to wrap and ship as needed to get them there in time for Christmas. I am also still mailing out and delivering calendars, though the numbers aren’t dropping as quickly as I had hoped. Part of me is looking to 2020 and the other part trying to finish 2019’s housekeeping before moving onto the new year. A whole new decade unfurling ahead of us. There is much to do before year slips around the bend and out of sight.

 

Wintering

There is much to love in the winter. The crisp, fresh air that tickles your nose. The crunch of the snow underfoot, the play of light across a field. It helps make up for the heavy shoveling, cold fingers and slippery roads.

These January days

Mid January and there is little snow on the ground, the air is feels sharp on the skin. I have not been out except to scurry from one pint to the next. I can feel that the sun is stronger and see the change in the angle as it comes through the windows. I do not mind January days, there is more variety in them than many think.