We haven't had much snow in the northeast this winter.
I miss sitting at my kitchen table watching snowflakes paint a natural scene that can never quite be captured in a photo or on a canvass. A snowfall is truly on of those events that has to be savored as it happens. I wonder where the flurries, squalls and blizzards are. Maybe they're stuck in Alaska. Check it out....
The most fascinating thing about a snowfall, at least for me, is the individual flake. Minuscule ice crystals floating down from the sky to brighten the lifeless land. Each morsel with its own design that if enlarged and solidified would surely be the most exquisite gem in a jewelry box. I actually like going outside and letting them fall on my black gloved hand. Seeing if I can detect their differences before they melt. It's sort of like going to a snowflake museum. Check out some of these "real" snowflakes:
They really do fit into the category of ordinary miracles. Just think about that five-foot snowman that you might make after a storm. Scientists estimate that you'll need two million snowflakes depending on how hard you pack them and each one will be different from its neighbor. I'm sure you've heard that before, but each time I think about that fact it amazes me. So for all it's worth, I'll take a moment to make a wish:
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!
A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA:
A snowflake is one of the most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they ban together:
Unknown Author
My young sons pack together at least
2 million snowflakes for a snowman
Gliding through Gatineau Park in Ottawa, Ontario, CA
“I'm going to try winter camping this year,” my husband, Keith, announced.
“Really?” I responded. “Why?”
I was a little nervous about his answer. I mean, I thought we had a good marriage, but maybe not. He must want to flee. Why else would anyone want to go sleep in the snow in the middle of the mountains? Being a relatively reasonable person, I decided to wait for an answer before searching the Internet for a marriage counselor.
“I don’t know,” he replied. “It might be interesting.”
That was a good answer. After ten years of being with Keith, I am aware that he likes to delve into the extreme - marathons, hiking the Northville-Placid Trail in eight days, 100-mile bike rides on a Saturday in the summer.
“Are you going alone?” I asked concerned. After all, I didn’t want him to slip off a cliff with a 40-pound backpack strapped to him, fall head first into a snow bank and not have anyone around to rescue him.
“No. Dennis got winter camping equipment for Christmas and wants to try it out.”
Dennis is Keith’s extreme athletic friend. What one doesn’t think of the other one will. Dennis’s wife, Margaret, and I often say, “We’re so glad they have each other.” That way they don't try to convince us to engage in these, let's say, different kind of activities.
So they made a plan, and I was fine with it. It gave me at least 24-hours of uninterrupted quiet to edit my novel for about the 20th time without Keith saying, “Are you revising that again?”
Just out of curiosity I asked once more, “Why do you guys want to camp out in the winter? Besides, it might be interesting.”
He thought for a minute. “I’m not sure. A little crazy, huh?”
Maybe. Maybe not.
We know that spending time in nature is one of the best ways to find peace and maintain a positive attitude. Winters are cold and long in the Northeast. Nature enthusiasts need to go out to get a dose of tranquility despite the weather.
Here’s what Wintercampers.com says, “A winter landscape offers campers solitude, inspiration, natural quiet, and a place to get away. Winter camping can provide a haven from the pressures of our fast-paced, industrialized society, providing a place where one can seek relief from the noise, haste, and crowds.”
It does sound appealing and check out this picture of Keith hiking away from contemporary living into a winter paradise.
Looks peaceful. In fact, next year I just may join him although I’d love to find a rustic cabin with a fireplace at the end of the trail as opposed to a tent.
Other advantages of winter camping according to Wintercamping.com include:
The clear and open view is unparalleled. Deciduous trees shed their leaves and provide unobstructed vistas of the surrounding landscape.
Clear night skies offer a great star grazing opportunities.
Winter camping provides a different perspective into nature than offered during the other three seasons.
Night time sounds carry easily enhancing an audio landscape of coyotes, owls, trees snapping and ice cracking.
Camping in the winter inspires a feeling of independence and gives people confidence in their survival skills.
There is a satisfaction in learning new skills or extending your current outdoor skills.
There is little competition from other campers. Camping sites that are overly popular during summer months are rarely visited or usually only visited by day hikers.
My almost favorite:
There are no mosquitoes or bears.
My absolute favorite:
One can justify eating excessive amounts of snacks and chocolate for energy.
Take heed, winter camping does require skill and special equipment. Organizations such as the Adirondack Mountain Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, etc. are great resources and oftenarrange group trips.
KICK BACK SONG OF THE WEEK:
Winter Snow by Chris Tomlin and Audrey Assad
KICK BACK BOOK OF THE WEEK:
On October 12, 1972, a plane carrying a team of young rugby players crashed into the remote, snow-peaked Andes. Out of the forty-five original passengers and crew, only sixteen made it off the mountain alive. For ten excruciating weeks they suffered deprivations beyond imagining, confronting nature head-on at its most furious and inhospitable. This is their story -- one of the most astonishing true adventures of the twentieth century (From Amazon.com).
A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA:
Yosemite National Park
"I must return to the mountains - to Yosemite. I am told that the winter storms there will not be easily borne, but I am bewitched, enchanted, and tomorrow I must start for the great temple to listen to the winter songs and sermons preached and sung, only there." - John Muir from a letter to Mrs. Ezra Carr (November 15, 1869).
Sometimes you need a good laugh and nothing tickles your funny bone. You look around the house. You flip through the channels on the TV. You might even check out your Facebook feed to see if any friends posted something amusing. Nothing.
That's why it's good to have a collection of pictures, jokes, people, etc. that make you laugh. Keep it on your desktop and pull it up whenever you need a chuckle moment. I found a video on You Tube that might be a good addition to a funny file. Just try getting through this video without laughing out loud.
Did you ever notice that kids laugh often and easily? Do something silly, like make a funny face, and the giggling begins. Now, have you also noticed that as age increases laughter decreases? It's true.
The average preschooler laughs or smiles 400 times a day. That number drops to only 15 times a day by the time people reach age 35, according to Mary Rue Foster, R.N. and host to the website, Workplace Issues. What are some other interesting facts about laughter? Here goes:
1. People smile only 35 percent as much as they think they do?
2. Laughter releases endorphins, a chemical 10 times more powerful than the pain-relieving drug morphine, into the body with the same exhilarating effect as doing strenuous exercise.
3. Every time you have a good hearty laugh, you burn up 3 1/2 calories.
4. Laughing increases oxygen intake, thereby replenishing and invigorating cells? It also increases the pain threshold, boosts immunity, and relieves stress.
The conclusion is we adults need to kick back and laugh more. All those benefits for something as simple and fun as laughing. How do we go about doing that? Seems like an easy questions, but I had to think about it for a little while. Here's what I came up with.
Funny Friends - Think about some of your friends who tickle your funny bone. Make sure to hang out with them as often as you can. Even thinking about these folks can bring on a chuckle, at least for me.
Comedians and Other Funny Media Personalities - Some people who earn their living by making others laugh are true masters. Favorites of mine include Bill Cosby, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Gildna Radner, George Carlin, just to name a few. With these comics, a laugh is just a DVD away. Just look at this face and see if initiates a spark of a laugh:
Bill Cosby
Funny animal pictures - Keep a file of your favorites somewhere on your computer, preferably your desktop, for a quick laugh. Check this one out:
Situations - Last night I went to a hockey game in Glens Falls, NY. The team's mascot is a giant woodchuck, or maybe it's a beaver. At one point the costumed whatever gyrated to We Will Rock You while kids gathered around trying to imitate him/her/it (couldn't tell). It may not sound that funny, but I found it to be hysterical. I often laugh at these spontaneous moments that surprise me in my day to day life and I'm going to be on the lookout for more.
Irony - I laugh at things that really aren't funny, but when spoofed are highly amusing. Tina Fey and Jon Stewart are brilliant at this. Don't know if any of you have tuned into the TV show, The Onion, but whenever I do, their parodies crack me up. Here's one called, Congress Forgets How to Pass A Law:
Take a minute to share what makes you laugh. The more ideas the better. After all, we could all use a little laughter in our lives. Hope you found a bit here.
Kick Back Book:
Humor is not easy to pull off in writing, especially fiction, but Marian Keyes manages to do just that in her novel, The Other Side of the Story. If you want a light read, with vivid characters and lots of laughs that revolves around the publishing world, read this.
Kick Back Song:
From one of my favorite movies, Mary Poppins, I Love to Laugh. Sit back and enjoy.
A Little Something Extra:
"The human race has only one really effective weapon, and that is laughter. The moment it arises, all our hardnesses yield, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place." -- Mark Twain
"This has to be the slowest elevator in the world," a bearded man said as he stepped onto the people lift in the grand hotel where I'm staying.
"Really?" I said as I checked my cell phone. It was 9:59.
"Uh Huh," said the bearded man shaking his head and clicking his tongue.
The elevator said, "Ding."
I had reached my destination on the 30th floor. I checked my cell phone. It was 9:59. The slowest elevator in the world? I almost said, "Enjoy the ride," but instead just smiled and walked away.
