B-r-r-r-r.... It's COLD out there!

Although the calendar doesn’t agree, winter has arrived in Spud Land.  Blizzard conditions.  Snow.  Ice.  Freezing rain. Freezing fog.  Treacherous driving conditions.  Blasts of arctic air.  More snow.  Skiers and snowboarders are thrilled, because this early arrival of winter means that the local ski resorts are opening for business earlier than usual.  Those of us who do not habitually play in the cold white stuff are less than thrilled.  You might hear griping and complaining from us.  Bitching and groaning.  It is COLD out there! 

I was standing outside watching Gir & Snoopy play in the snow.  More snow was floating to the frozen ground.  I was shivering and quivering and trying to keep my fingers from freezing.  And I noticed… the quiet.  The stillness.  The hush that surrounded me.  The whisper of the wind gently moving the nearly bare limbs of the trees.  The silent hiss of the snow landing on the super-heated chimney on the roof.  The occasional rustle of a chilly varmint searching for food.  

What I really didn’t notice right away was my shivering and quivering slowing to a stop, my staccato breathing becoming more steady and quiet, and my teeth no longer chattering.  The silent night had begun to sink into my soul.  The peace on this earth became MY peace.