April 12, 2007

Frost

I've stopped wearing mittens.

Never mind that the temperature keeps dropping below freezing, or that we keep waking up to fresh snow. It's April, almost the middle of April, and at some point, I have to take a stand. If I give in and keep wearing all those heavy socks, those thick boots, that ski parka, well, if I admit defeat and give in to this cold weather, perhaps spring will never come.

I realize that the theory that the weather is affected by what I wear might sound a bit illogical. In fact, some have compared me to those crazy sport fans who scream and cheer at the television set and then later take credit for their team winning. I've been known to mock those sports fans.

But this is different. I know from experience that if I just put aside those winter clothes and act like it's spring, that the warm weather will come eventually. It happens every year. Sure, it means that my hands will be cold and chapped, and that I will have to run between buildings to keep warm on campus, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make.

It's lucky I live on a deadend road without much traffic because when I am not wearing mittens, I do a pretty terrible job of scraping the frost off the car. I clear a small spot on the windshield and hope the defroster will finish the job before I make it out to one of the busier roads.

As I cruise along slowly, holding the steering wheel with one hand while warming the other by putting it under my leg, the sun hits the frost on the side window, making it sparkle before melting to drops of water. The woods and sky are muted and fuzzy, a blur of colour. For those first few minutes of my drive, I can look out and see the world with the eyes of a nineteenth century French painter.

Impression

18 comments:

niobe said...

Amazing picture. And spring will come. Eventually.

Anonymous said...

van gogh, as nature instructed him.

Teri said...

please tell me you didn't take that photo while driving!
it's gorgeous, btw.

I too refuse to wear winter things now. no more scarves for me. Take that, stupid snow still falling outside my office window!

jo(e) said...

I was driving, but very slowly. It was perfectly safe.

Deb said...

That's one incredible picture!

BeachMama said...

That photo looks almost like a painting, just gorgeous.

I too tucked away all things winter and refuse to bring them out again. People look at my kid and I in our fleeces and not our winter jacket like we are crazy, but J says he is not cold, I still keep a cap on him but that is it! I simply refuse.

Yankee T said...

Great photo. (I hate winter.)

landismom said...

Great picture! And I just keep hoping that the polar ice caps are getting another couple of weeks of not melting out of this ridiculously lengthy winter.

Rev Dr Mom said...

What a gorgeous picture.

Me, I'm still wearing gloves....

Sarah Sometimes said...

stunning pic

Anonymous said...

so awesome.

listie said...

Beautiful picture!

ccw said...

A beautiful photo!

I have also put the winter items away. I cannot wait for the warm weather to return.

Nicole said...

That's definitely a lovely image. The only image of frost that I like actually. Your refusal to wear mittens reminds me of some of the CA people who live here in NY and insist on wearing shorts in January.

Hel said...

Your photo made me catch my breath at its beauty. The frost look like magic trees from the lion the witch and the wardrobe.

Kyla said...

Wow.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

Your photography is stupendous!!!

I LOVE this poicture! WOW!

Nice story with it too.

Andromeda Jazmon said...

You know what, people were laughing at me last week when I refused to wear boots in the snow. My feet were wet and freezing but I just refuse to acknowleged that it was snowing. It changed to rain after a while so I was right!

That is an amazing photo!