A Winter Wonderland

We made an excursion out into the snow yesterday. It was absolutely beautiful. Especially once the sun came out, it seemed as if the entire landscape was washed with a bright light. The forests that I’m so used to traipsing in with my little ones during the summer months seemed so sparse with just the dark skeletons of tree trunks and branches silhouetted against the snow. But it was silent. And beautiful.

If I were to describe winter in colors, it’s easy to see that blue, white and shades of brown capture the heart of the season. Perhaps I’ll make an attempt for the rest of the winter to focus on these colors… as an artist, color really is one of the ways I feel connected to the world around me.

It’s always been so easy for me to get wrapped up in our modern, seasonless year: the one where swimming and strawberries are just as common in December as they are in June. This year, I really am trying to make an effort to follow the seasons, the cycles that has guided my foremothers for thousands of years. They probably collected snow for drinking and cooking water, cuddled up with a blanket in front of the fireplace and knitted and reflected upon the stillness of winter while mentally preparing for the coming spring.  I know it wasn’t quite as romantic as all that, but there is a beauty in going along with the the cycles of the earth, rather than pushing against it.

And it made me think that, just the same way the world is covered by a blanket of snow, I would go home and wrap myself up in something soft and warm and do some reflecting. While it isn’t white and blue inside my home, it is full of warmth and quiet creativity. And it’s the perfect time to cuddle up with my babies and a hot cup of coffee.

Stay warm today!

~ Mellie ★