January Snow

“This definitely tastes like December snow. January snow tastes the best,” – said Lucy, from the Charlie Brown comic strip

During the first snow fall of the season I think of this old Charlie Brown moment. I love snow. The sight of the land after a heavy snowfall, everything looks so peaceful and clean. I remember as a child, just sitting in the middle of the yard in my purple snowsuit with matching gloves, hat and boots, listening to the snow fall down around me. It was a beautiful silence broken only by the breaking of a tree branch that had become over burdened from the weight of the snow. The sight of powerlines and trees dripping with snow is the true sign winter has arrived.

So many of my childhood memories are in the snow… building a fort with Dad in the snow pile at the end of the driveway... making snow angels with Jill in the yard... skiing at Pat’s Peak in the freshly groomed powder... building snow men with Mom...running down the porch, boots and mittens filled with snow to get some hot chocolate...watching the TV screen at 5:30 in the morning, praying that they had cancelled school.

As an adult there are moments, when the snow falls, covering the ground with a white blanket, that I want to stand in the middle of the sidewalk, like I did when I was a kid. My mouth open, eyes closed as the snow flakes land on my face and melts on my tongue.

Lucy was right; January snow does taste the best.