“Other seasons come abruptly but ask so little when they do. Winter is the only one that has to be relearned.”
Verlyn Klinkenborg, The Rural Life
Mother Nature never ceases to provide timely inspiration. This past weekend we finally had our first “sticking snow”. And as it blew in, the ground and air were quickly swallowed up in white-a wall of white that immersed us in a what we call “lake effect snow”. That snow that blows off the east end of Lake Ontario taking no prisoners as it descends and drowns out all color and sound around us.
Thankfully it blew through quickly leaving the garden sporting a new clean, white covering. And it has snowed on and off all week adding more lovely scenes…about 6 inches already. But that first snow also heralds a time for change…. change in seasons with the solstice, special holidays to celebrate and a time to slow and slumber.
For me it is a time to cocoon myself away and contemplate life. Every winter I hunker down in front of the fireplace and dream of spring as I soak in winter’s glory. Oh don’t get me wrong…our winters can last too long here, and I do not like driving in the nasty snow an hour to and from work. But winter does have some wonderful benefits for me, and emphasizing these benefits helps me cope with our long, harsh winters until spring.
Winter is like taking a retreat…getting quiet so I can rest, heal and renew myself physically and spiritually. Winter is the perfect time for quiet here as the garden is sleeping, the birds are taking a break and the pollinators are hibernating with the frogs and toads. I think I love winter’s silence the best. The solitude seems to awaken my heart and soul. I find I have so much inspiration and calm during winter.
I try to spend time outside listening to nature as it speaks to me…and that fresh clean air of winter is amazing for clearing the cobwebs out of my mind. Like the plants beneath my garden, I use the time in winter to put energy back into my body and soul…put it back to my roots that are connected to Mother Earth so in spring I re-emerge revitalized, deeply nourished and ready to grow.
So as I celebrate this quiet season of winter, I hope you will join in.
Here are some of the messages that I have heard in the silence of past winters……
The Comfort of Home
“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
― Edith Sitwell
Sleep and Renew
“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
Magical Views of the World
“Snow flurries began to fall and they swirled around people’s legs like house cats. It was magical, this snow globe world.”
― Sarah Addison Allen, The Sugar Queen
Time to be Alone With Your Thoughts
“I do an awful lot of thinking and dreaming about things in the past and the future – the timelessness of the rocks and the hills – all the people who have existed there. I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape – the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.”
― Andrew Wyeth
Draw on the Strength of the Season
“Too much sun after a Syracuse winter does strange things to your head, makes you feel strong, even if you aren’t.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak
Memories
“The first snow is like the first love. Do you remember your first snow?”
― Lara Biyuts
I hope you will join in now and tell us all about how you are celebrating the new season especially around this very special solstice Just write a post and leave a comment here with your Seasonal Celebrations link.
My winter mantra:
This winter will be a time for building strength as I work on my physical health and spiritual well-being emerging fit, powerful and more courageous for the next steps.
“Withstanding the cold develops vigor for the relaxing days of spring and summer. Besides, in this matter as in many others, it is evident that nature abhors a quitter.” ~Arthur C. Crandall
Come Join Us:
Seasonal Celebrations is a time for marking the change of seasons and what is happening in your part of the world during this time. I hope you will join in by creating a post telling us how you celebrate this time of year whether winter or summer or something else. Share your traditions, holidays and celebrations in pictures and words.
And it seems so appropriate to collaborate with Beth and her Lessons Learned meme. What lessons have you learned this past season of autumn here in the North and spring in the South. Then tell us about your wishes, desires and dreams for this new season.
The rules are simple. Just create a post that talks about lessons learned and/or seasonal celebrations. If you are joining in for both memes please leave a comment on both our blog posts. Or if you are choosing to join only one meme, leave a comment on that blog post. Make sure to include a link with your comment.
Beth and I will do a summary post of our respective memes on the solstice (around the 21st of December). And we will keep those posts linked on a page on our blog. Your post should be linked in the weekend before the solstice to give us enough time to include your post in our summary. And if you link in a bit late, never fear we will include it on the special blog page (which I still have to create). The badges here can be used in your post. So won’t you join in the celebration!!
________________________________________________________________
Next up on the blog: Monday will be time to see what happened in the November garden. In December I plan to savor another Garden Book and present my last herb for the final installment of Simply The Best Herbs and Dozen for Diana@ Elephant’s Eye on False Bay. Of course I will be presenting my Garden Lessons Learned too.
I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden. See my most current post now. A new post goes up on the 1oth.
Please remember, to comment click on the title of the post and the page will reload with the comments section.
All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2012. Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.