It's snowing today: dry flakes swirling down through the cones of light from the street lamps. -17 degrees celsius wind chill, says the observatory's weather station. Walking to work at this hour of the night is an exercise in self-control, moving from step to step with care to avoid slipping on the icy walks, squinting to keep the flurries of snow from smacking into the eyes, and keeping hands tightly within pockets to keep the frigid air at bay.
Really, though, the snow and the cold make me happy. The vortices of air swirling around buildings whips the flakes into an intricately fractal frenzy, and the biting cold is a reminder of how crisp the world can be, absent of warmth. Tomorrow morning, I look forward to opening the door onto a landscape transformed into smooth forms of black asphalt, white snow, and grey stone and sky. Black and white has a certain, quiet, eloquence.
“and the biting cold is a reminder of how crisp the world can be, absent of warmth”
I think I have to disagree. Although it is cold, I think of winter, snow, and cold as a way to get closer to people, to be warm. Like, snuggling, sitting in front of a fire playing a game, hot chocolate… Those are all of the images and feelings that play in my head when I think of winter and it’s cold.
Anyways, yeah, I hope you feel some of that as well. Yay! for winter! Good luck with end of term stuff!
Katie