Friday Ramble - Embracing the Crone of Winter

No doubt about it, Lady Winter has arrived.  Arrayed in deep snow and companioned by the icy north wind, she came striding over the ridge a few days ago, and she is here to stay this time. In her iron grip, we find ourselves thinking about moving away, or if staying put, going into hibernation as the bears do.

There are things we do not remember in winter, and things we fail to understand most of the time  - that cold clear waters flow effortlessly along under all the ice and snow, that the fallen leaves trapped within the ice on the river were once green and living things and will nourish their descendents in springtime.  We focus on moving the snow out of our way and fail to understand that snow is an integral part of our path, that next year's leaves, flowers and fruit are sleeping snugly somewhere underneath it all. Winter's deep snows are just where they are supposed to be - it is we who are in their way and much of the time in our own way too.

On a cold morning in the woods, simple truth sometimes comes flooding into one's senses like the north wind or a fast running river. Even the slumbering trees seem to echo that truth as one looks up at their perfect snowy arches against the sky. However one feels about the long white season, being here and truly present in winter is something special.