It’s snowing . . . again. And the temperature is dropping literally by degrees every few minutes. Yet, how absurd that I type those statements. It is, after all, January in northern Illinois. What is a person to expect out of weather?
With snow falling early in the season and periods of bitter cold keeping families huddled inside, the shortest days of the year actually feel like the longest.
What of outdoor winter activities? We’ve been sledding once. Our other attempts thwarted by wind, cold or a warm day that reduced the sledding hill to one of snowy mush.
So to pass the time we’ve pulled out jigsaw puzzles, board games and movies. We are not big TV watchers, but Harry Potter has aided in the creation of family movie night, complete with bowls of freshly popped home-grown Pratt Popcorn.
We’ve redecorated the bedrooms of the farm boy and fairy farm princess, including new paint, organized closets uncovering toys, books and more games to play. The kids transformed the living room into Chuggington (a train city) one day. More than one fort has risen and fallen, and several dance parties pulsed to the beats of Kidz Bop.
Yet, I find myself staring wistfully out the window wishing for a sign of spring. Ah, spring. We’ll trade in snow and cold for wind that never stops blowing, gale-force winds that destroy my tulips and keep us from evening bike rides and flying kites.
On those days, I pray for a break in the spring “breeze” and the arrival of summer. Yes, summer, when the air won’t move. We’ll be stifled by humidity and heat that turns sidewalks into ovens. No rain, fear of drought and a burned garden.
Because then I find myself searching for falling leaves and autumn, which can only mean . . . really, must I go on?
What a way to pass the seasons? Even as we pool our collective wishes for the next one, we complain loudly at the fast pace of Father Time. Maybe the key to making it through a long winter is learning to appreciate the moments it gives us, instead of wishing for the ones yet to come.
So bring it on Old Man Winter, we’ve got a few more movies to watch and a hot game of Johnny Tractor dominos await.
I’m never wishing for winter haha. I despise freezing temperatures. Cold is painful. I can take the heat (ha, sorry). Wind? I’ll take it, as long as it’s warm.
So true! Thanks for keeping the winter doldrums in perspective.
Yea . . . I keep coming back to this post because its getting harder and harder to keep up that positive attitude. Spring will come, right???