Monday, October 18, 2010

Snow's coming


Reflectively retro
Stratford, ON, January 2010
[Click image to enlarge]
[Click here to share your "turning colder" vision]

I felt it when I left the house before first light this morning, a snap in the air that confirmed, once and for all, that I won't be wearing my shorts and sandals again for a while. I'm not complaining, though. It felt good. I was barely awake, and not entirely happy to be starting my day before the rest of my body felt it was ready. So a little fresh air on my face was a good thing, a gentle reminder from Mother Earth that I needed to pay more attention to the cold feeling on my skin, the sound of the breeze through the trees, even the smell of the fallen leaves.

It reminded me of this day last January, when I stood in a snowy parking lot and prepared to take my car home from Stratford, a city about 45 minutes away from here. The weather was closing in and the last thing I needed was to be in the middle of the hinterlands in a snow squall. But I wanted to remember what it was like to be in the middle of snowy perfection, so I shot quickly before jumping in and heading home.

I need to get out more. The cold does me good.

Your turn: Can the cold be good for our mood? How?

18 comments:

CorvusCorax12 said...

i love the air before it snows, i love winter (i know i'm nuts LOL )

Kalei's Best Friend said...

The cold is good because its a test for our stamina.. if we were to be in a constant temp. like Hi., we would never know how to deal w/ temp. change... My ex-bf couldn't deal w/our mild winter in Cali... U would of laughed at him...they're spoiled in Hi.. and I know we are spoiled in Cali too... We don't have snow except up in the mtns., our seasons are minimal but not as extremely easy like HI.

Anonymous said...

The cold is wonderful for my own mood. I spent mid-May through mid-October being too hot, so when the weather begins to turn, I spend days bouncing and dancing around like a little kid ripe with happiness. I also sleep better at night, snuggled under the comforter.

MB said...

The cold is definitely good for my soul. Heat makes me cranky and my pale white skin burns easy so I'm always happy to see summer come to an end. I keep threatening to move to Alaska but Canada may be a better compromise. I love being in the mountains in winter whether I'm snowmobiling, skiing, sledding, walking through the woods, or just waking up to freshly fallen snow. I can't wait. Cold does a body good. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Kristen said...

Snow fan here! It is so peaceful when it falls and it covers the dull and bleak of winter.

kenju said...

I thought you meant it is coming tonight. Whew! That's early even for you, right?

Kavi said...

Ah Winter ...! Another year goes by. almost !!

:)

Shirley said...

Excellent reflection on the side of the car! The seasons aren't so bad when we look for and embrace the wondrous moments, the smell in the air, the feeling underfoot and all those little things that we often take for granted.

Max Sartin said...

I hate cold. Plain and simple. One winter we were driving up to our property in Duchesne (Dew-shane) and passing Strawberry Reservoir we saw groups of people ice fishing. I turned to my brother and said "Yeah, just the thing for me. It's cold. It's wet. And it's fishing." That said, I love a good snow storm. Especially on winter break when I'm off school and don't have to go anywhere. The whole city gets calm and peaceful. My street, usually quite busy, is silent, calm and all covered in white. The few cars that do venture out sound completely different driving by my house. It's when it isn't snowing (which is most of the time) and bitter cold that I dislike it.
Give me 105 degrees with 5% humidity any day.

Sandra said...

Stratford, Ontario...Mister, you don't know what cold is! I'm writing this from Winnipeg, Manitoba...yes, I wear the -48 celsius with pride!
However, you post was delightful, and your writing is beautiful. You made the "fake" Stratford cold seem almost pleasant...did I mention -48???
Thanks for dropping by my blog and thanks for the comment!

Alexia said...

No, cold makes me miserable. I dislike winter intensely - I would live in the tropics if I could. When everyone around me is complaining of the heat, I'm feeling just about right!

The Gearheads said...

This picture talks to me. I like how you don't actually focus on any snow, but see it all in the reflection, and how you can see the Buick Terraza in the reflection off of the HHR. I always look forward to snow, I love to play in it, drive in it, and the way it leaves a quieting blanket over everything.

Here is my "cold" photos for today.

http://the-gearheads.blogspot.com/2010/10/cold-choice-for-this-weeks-photo.html

-Mr.

Anna said...

I love this picture. Excellent perspective.

The cold may make for good photos but as for my mood, it hasn't done a lot today. But maybe, like the photo, it's all a matter of perspective...

1. The cold can make me grateful for the warmth I do find, from a bowl of soup to a big hug.

2. It delivers that adorable rosy cheeked flush like no beauty product ever could.

3. There is nothing like a being snuggled up in a warm bed on a cold night.

Dang, I'm good. I'm giving myself an A+ in positive thinking. Thanks for the exercise. =)

A Paperback Writer said...

This is an excellent shot. It's my favorite of anything I've seen you post on this site so far.

21 Wits said...

The cold can be good to snap me out of the blues.....or feeling too sleepy to drive...a very good wake up. Fantastic "winter-bliss" in your perfect shine that probably disappeared once you arrived home?

Ankita Sarkar said...

Where I live it hardly snows. Westerners call our winters 'warm'. Most local people still need woollens though, and I'm famous for not needing them. :)

The Gearheads said...

I apologize, I did not actually answer the question. For me it can be good for my mood. I really don't like the heat, I can't sleep well when it's too warm. However I enjoy the crisp feel of cold air. But the truth is by the time February rolls around I welcome the warmer temps again. One reason I still live in Salt Lake City is because of the seasons and how the temperatures don't get extreme. During the winter we may get down to 0. There may even be a few days below 0, but very few. Most of the time we hover near freezing, so it snows, but then within a few days the roads become dry again. During the summer we get up in the 90s June, July, and August and can see 100s, but usually only about 5 to 10 days above 100.
So to answer the question, yes I think cold can be good for my mood, but I do tire of it after a few months.
-Mr.

Hey it's Amy Benson said...

Nice photo!