We are in the grey, gloomy days of winter here in Minnesota. The mercury just took another dip into the single digits for daytime highs. We had a brutally cold blizzard the week of Christmas, interrupting holiday travel and testing the endurance of every furnace. This time of year, the days blur together to make a continuous string of grey weeks. When the sun peaks out and breaks the monotony, you can feel the energy shift and the smiles emerge. We all take advantage of the short reprieve.
Some little pleasures help break the winter doldrums. For example, we recently had a string of days with hoar frost on the trees. The beautiful white frosting on the trees created an enchanted contrast to the bland, grey sky.
Some trees have noticeable buds, hinting at spring somewhere on the horizon. The buds happened to be against a clear, blue morning sky. These days are fleeting and few this time of year.
A loving chunk of a cat snuggled against their human on a dark winter night. When the sun sets at just after 5p, snuggles get a lot of people (and pets) through the darkness.
Birds appear on sunny, warmer days. I often find birds sitting on the window frames on my house’s west and south sides so they can take advantage of the sun. My cats are always excited about the return of the birds. I enjoy watching my cats hunt them from inside the house. Piney and Goldie are determined creatures.
The second Sunday in January provided sun, light wind, and temperatures near freezing. People were out in mass at the parks, strolling with friends or walking their dogs. Sun and low wind chill bring people out of their caves for fresh air. You must take advantage of the sun and “warmth” whenever possible. Winters can be physically, emotionally, and mentally brutal. If you don’t take advantage of the breaks, it’s even more challenging.
When a cold, clear evening arrives, the sky reveals twinkling stars and a crisp moon in high definition. The perfect night for star-gazing if you don’t mind the cold. Sun dogs flank the sun on bitter cloudless mornings. Sometimes we are lucky enough to see the aurora borealis when the conditions are right. I have yet to glimpse this phenomenon, but it is another treasure of these winters.
As harsh as Minnesota winters can be, they can also be good for the soul. I enjoy the slower pace winter provides. No one argues when you say you don’t want to don your boots and coat to leave the house for an evening. It’s socially acceptable to disappear after new years and only emerge again in March when things (hopefully) start the thaw. All anyone wants is to be warm. We are all just trying to survive the deadest of dead winter. So we allow each other that space to make it through in our own way. Sometimes that is snuggled at home with a pet. Other times it’s with a few friends over drinks.
These are the little treasures of winter that help us through. The simple joys, the unusual gems, and the soul food that help us navigate to spring and keep the fridge winters from freezing our hearts and souls.
