A Marvelous Winter…

When I push all other real-life disappointments aside, like not being able to find a new job or not getting married before the end of 2009 or not truly, honestly being able to quit smoking, there has been one recurrent source of simple joy this winter season: abundant snow. And I do mean abundant. I think the Roanoke area has gotten a total of 39 inches of snow this year!

Before this last storm on Friday, February 5th, I found myself terribly anxious. I wasn’t tired enough to go to bed, and then, once I forced myself to go to bed, I found that I couldn’t sleep. My body hit the sheets around 1:30 a.m. I woke up at 2:30, 3:45, 4:30, and again at 5:30. Each time, I lifted my head, checked the clock, and then looked out the window to see if the Boulevard was covered with white, fluffy stuff. You would have thought I was 10 years old and hoping for a snow day excuse from school (or work, even, as an actual adult), but seeing as how I no longer am a part of either the work or school communities, I had no viable stake in the snow. I believe I was genuinely excited about the simple prospect of it. So, finally, around 6:30 that morning, the road was snow-covered, and I dragged my groggy self from under the warmth of the dark blue down comforter, headed downstairs, and poured myself a piping hot cup of my specially-blended coffee: chocolate/hazelnut/French roast. I stood at the front door for quite some time, sipping and staring, in what I can only describe as a state of sheer bliss.

Take a moment to think about the word marvelous or its root marvel. Merriam-Webster defines marvel (noun) as 1: one that causes wonder or astonishment, or 2: intense surprise or interest: astonishment. It dates back to the 14th Century, and its etymology is Middle English. To me, snow is a marvel; I marvel at it; it is marvelous.

We are supposed to get a few more inches of the fluffy, white stuff tomorrow, and I know a whole lot of people are already tired of it, if not despising it, but not me. I am not a hater; I truly love it. Something so cold, something so dependent on cold, warms and radiates from my heart. So, while VDOT was asking people to be smart and stay off the roads, I was gallivanting around town and taking pictures. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed taking them.