It’s still snowing.
I didn’t know it was possible to have fresh snow falling all through March – I knew that there were places where snow was still around in March obviously. And, I’ve seen those little crystal-like ice flakes falling in March, but this is those big, wet flakes that just pour out of the sky like living in a snow globe.
I put on all my cold weather gear today – big coat, insulated pants, big boots – mitts, hat, scarf – and I walked the perimeter of the property.
The snow is thigh deep for the most part and I waded through it, moving it easily like downy-soft sand. I expected it to have frozen into banks in some areas, but it hasn’t – just piles of feather-weight fluff.
I walked straight out the door and across the meadow to the fence line where I met Barbie – I followed the fence that borders and separates or property until I came to the slope of the ravine and half-slid, half-ran down the bank to the old railroad lines.
Walking along those took me to the river bed where it crosses my land and that is such a beautiful area – even in the cold of winter. The trees are tall fingers reaching into the cloudless sky – beech, birch and aspen near the water and bristling pines further out.
The river has a frozen cover of ice and snow, but the water runs and rushes at turns through the gaps – reflecting sunlight and singing a merry tune.
The climb out of the ravine was difficult, but I finally crested the rise and was able to walk along the treeline at the back of the lot to return to my home – my new home.
It’s just a small stone cottage on this large lot with a tall and twisted chimney – there are more windows than seem prudent for a place this cold, but I enjoy the brightness they bring during the short daylight hours.
I never thought I’d end up in a place like The Northern Wood, and I feel lucky to be here.