Sights, Sounds and Smells of Winter

Although I am very familiar with winter as a Colorado native, we have had such a mild winter that I had forgotten many of the things I love about the winter season. That is because I was enjoying fall-like temperatures much of the time and thus not fully immersing myself in the things peculiar to the winter season.

A couple of days ago we got our first big snow of this winter season and I remembered what I was missing. So, if you will indulge me, let me share some vignettes that will bring the splendor of winter to our hearts and minds.

• The delightful rhythmic sound of a small, flat stone side-tossed across a frozen lake — whir, bounce, whir, bounce, whir… on an early morning trek

• An almost mystical landscape created by dark-figured tree “skeletons” as days light comes to a close.

• Small ice fractures snapping and cracking and the dull crunch of fresh powder snow under foot.

• Graceful “V” waves formed by an armada of ducks and geese swimming in the icy water. Although this beauty can be seen year-round, it is breathtaking surrounded by snowy lake shores and jagged edges of ice jutting into the open water.

• Millions… no! Billions of glistening miniature lights as sunlight hits freshly fallen unspoiled snow

• Simmering spiced cider filling the air with the sweet aroma of cinnamon and cloves

• Melting snow/water drops refreezing before they reach the ground adding length to already formed icicles in measurements to small to fathom

• Turbulent cloud formations that awe and demand a few moments of your time

• Miniature marshmallows melting slowly as they sit atop mugs of hot chocolate meant to warm and soothe after a day’s play outdoors

• Puffs of “snow smoke” rising from mountainsides as wind caresses pine tree boughs until they release their snowy covering

What beauty surrounds us during this winter season! The old adage “take time to stop and smell the roses” isn’t just for the seasons of the year that roses are blooming. It is important, even vital to our well-being, to take time to see, hear and smell what God has put right in front of us every day of every season. It only takes time… and that is something we all have.