The Absence Of Winter...
It is 9:31 pm on Saturday and it is uncharacteristically quiet in my home.
The sounds of my fingers hitting the keyboard is reminiscent of a brook, tucked away in the backwoods, behind the Log Cabin I haven't built yet, on the land I will probably never own.
There have been no snow days.
No backaches from shoveling.
No snow angels.
No snowball fights.
No need for hot chocolate.
No vacant stares into the night, transfixed by snowflakes falling in front of the streetlights.
I haven't once uttered the words, "don't eat the yellow snow" to my daughters.
Not even a trace of the scent of a burning fireplace hangs in the air.
Hell, even Carvel is still open but Carvel is always open, so I guess that doesn't count.
Why is there no Winter?
I wore shorts and a t-shirt today.
My Sweaters weep pathetic woolen tears every time I open my armoire.
"Stop crying you sissy Sweaters!"
"But you have forgotten us and besides, it's terribly hot in this armoire."
"I haven't forgotten you Sweaters."
"Then why leave us here to sweat with the corduroy pants?"
"It is not I who has forgotten you Sweaters. It is Winter that has abandoned you."
"Why would Winter abandon us? We are but Sweaters in an armoire."
"I have no answers for you Sweaters. Just be grateful you are not sleeping with the mothballs."
I suppose Winter has someplace better to be.
Perhaps the Bangles are also quietly mourning the absence of Winter, whilst counting all of their money...
"Look around
Leaves are brown
And the sky
It's a hazy shade of Winter.
Look around
Leaves are brown
There's a patch of snow on the ground." - The Bangles
Up here in northern Canada, we have snow on the ground and more falling... and is cold and more snow is falling...
ReplyDeleteThat being said I have lived here nine years and this is the mildest winter so far... only two big storms, only one run of -40 freeze-your-ass-off-weather...
Very jealous you get to wear shorts though! I am still in fleece and gloves....aaargh!
The older I get the less I like cold and the less summer bothers me. Not in favor of global warming or anything, but so long cold winter. And, I don't even live in cold winter land.
ReplyDeleteSilence from the Al Gore compound...but we know he is smirking.
ReplyDeleteHere in the mid-Atlantic states, we do seem to cycle through mild winters and then wicked winters. I must say it's nice to be going through a mild one this year! :)
ReplyDeleteI'll echo Brahm's comments, if you want cold and snow you can always come up to Ottawa, where even the schools aren't letting the kids play outside.
ReplyDeleteDo you know how cold it has to be for schools to keep kids inside??
Cheers!
Chris
It seems that you really miss winter.
ReplyDeletegarden sheds
I always enjoy your blog. I have been feeling the same way about winter. I really wanted just one big snow, one day of shovelling, one day of what makes winter cool.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me really sad about your post here though is attributing those lyrics to The Bangles instead of Paul Simon.
Stupid winter won't stop over her in Seattle. If I wore sweaters they'd be pissed cause I kept them up too long this year. Ni-night time.
ReplyDeleteGO SPRING!
I love that this happens the year after I move from Buffalo. Glad winter is mellow,
ReplyDeleteDude, you would NOT like living in LA. I'm from Jersey originally, and I really miss the winters..
ReplyDeleteThe New York Winter, sounds Idyllic, so many similarities to the weather we have back here in the UK. Our winters are to wet and way too long, our summers are to short & we just don't get enough sun. Spring is a fantastic time of year, the time of year when you sense a feeling of re birth and new beginnings, birds nesting and tweeting, the leaves in the mighty oaks start to flourish and the small insects and butterflies start there short but beautiful lives.
ReplyDeleteAs for woolly jumpers - the only time that ever sees daylight is when the mother in law visits at Christmas, as she is the culprit who bought it, this one and the others every year sinse marriage, I just don't have the heart to tell her to stop buying these God awful prancing Reindeer, Christmas Tree with baubles, stripy rainbow monstrosities.
Who know next year I might just get luck and receive a pair of socks. One wishes..
I love your writing!
ReplyDelete