A big snow is coming to Northern Colorado–arriving in the wee hours of Saturday morning. They predict 12-24 inches, maybe more here in Fort Collins.
Even though we don’t have snow days anymore–and I’m not in school, anyhow–I still feel excited about a big snow. I love watching the snow fall and also seeing the whole world (my whole world, at least) blanketed in snow. I do, of course, enjoy it more when I don’t have to try to go anywhere. And I don’t have to be anywhere for a few days.
Preparing for the big snow
Yesterday I had a very exciting day (for me). Before the storm arrives, I wanted to stock up on food and books. But instead of ordering online, I went to the grocery store, the library, and put air in my tires. Although BC (before coronavirus), these activities occurred regularly (except for the air in tires one), I haven’t gone inside the library or a grocery store for months. Having gotten my first vaccine helped me to feel more confident about going out and about.
I never imagined it would feel so exciting to do these once normal activities. It reminded me of how much I’ve missed these kinds of activities.
Also, the gas station closest to my house offers free air for tires! I felt quite excited to discover this! I explained to my mom that they had free air. It took me a while to convince her that I wasn’t joking. In Chicago, every gas station that had air for tires charged for it and many do around here, too.
I guess my bar for what’s exciting has lowered considerably–and I’ve always been pretty much a homebody.
The coming storm
The sky looked heavy and gray today, but it was still in the 40s. Perfect for a walk. The geese who have been hanging out at the little pond I walk around were nowhere to be seen today. They must know a big storm is coming. I wonder where they went to wait it out.
This time of year, I tend to walk in the late afternoon, when the day is at its warmest (I would never walk at that time in the summer!). I often see and hear the flocks of geese wheeling into the sunset. This sight always inspires awe. The blue heron who also hangs out in the little pond, who I enjoyed watching walk over the ice not too long ago, was also nowhere to be seen.
Clouds ringed the not-so-distant mountains.
I don’t know if it’s the air pressure or just because I looked at my weather app, but I felt like I could feel the storm coming.
Snow White and the snow
I also got a new book in to edit this week. This book has been translated from German, and it’s all about the archetypes and spiritual meanings of the images in fairy tales. This book has also made me really happy. I find this topic fascinating.
Today I edited the chapter on Snow White. The first queen longed for a child with skin as white as snow, cheeks as red as blood and hair as black as the ebony window frame she looked out of. And of course this wish comes true in the form of Snow White.
Looking at this through the view of Rudolf Steiner’s view of the development of the human being, the snow represents the thinking, the blood represents feeling, and the black represents the will. I love this weaving together of images.
The truth about snow
And since the big snow is coming, here’s a poem inspired by snow and Snow White. And here’s another poem about snow.
Big snow will arrive in the wee hours, the weather prophets warn, Proceed with care, they tell us, travel will be dangerous. But they do not forecast the magic that comes with the snow What delight it woudl be to hear them predict that each flake offers a kiss of cold, clear wisdom from the heavens, or maybe that angels have been sighted flying wildly about, laughing and playing and shaking loose some feathers from their wings Or perhaps Old Mother Holle has found a kind girl to shake her eiderdown quilt and make the snow fly. What truth stands behind the six-pointed crytals now forming high above our heads, preparing to blanket the earth in snowy quiet? Does science hold the only truth? Surely it holds some. But what of the truth of the imagination? The truth of the fairy tales, written before science at least as we know it was even born? And what of the wonder in a child's eyes?
Thanks for stopping by
Wishing you happiness and magic–and plenty of wonderful adventures, whether at home or farther afield!
Heidi Mordhorst at My Juicy Little Universe hosts Poetry Friday this week. Happy birthday, Heidi! Check out her blog for lots of poetic goodness!
xoxo
Eeeeeek! More snow? About this time of year I really want to be done with the cold, flaky stuff. I’m so glad you got out and about. It’s a little exciting to feel almost normal…I get that. What an intriguing project you are working on and also poem. What truth? Such a great question to embed in a poem.
Hi Linda,
I’m ready for this to be the last snow, I think, but it’s been awe-inspiring, for sure. And I’m grateful to have a warm house to watch it from–and not looking forward to shoveling tomorrow–it looks like almost 2 feet of snow, but I haven’t heard the official report.
Thanks!
Susan, I love this! I always think snow is a miracle! I have a rhyming nonfiction picture book coming out someday with Bloomsbury that has a working title of MAGIC FALLING FROM THE SKY. Even though the science of snow is fascinating, it will always be magic to me, a Florida-born girl :>)
Thanks, Laura–and your book sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to read it! When I was in college (in St. Louis), one of my roommates was from Florida. I remember we got the littlest bit of snow falling and her running outside to dance in it–She’d never seen snow before!
Susan, what a great post! I love all your enthusiasm for the coming snow (and for free air for your tires!). Your poem is wonderful. I’m delighted by the idea of forecasters following your lead and featuring Old Mother Holle in their air time. And oh that beautiful, final question, “And what of the wonder in a child’s eyes?” I just finished reading “Wintering” by Katherine May and she writes about the magic of snow in children’s literature. I love, love how you wove that into your post and your poem.
Thanks, Molly! I’ve been enjoying watching the snow and a little nervous as the wind whipped the icy tree branches against our house. But it really is wonderful–especially watching from my nice, warm house. I’ll have to check out “Wintering.”
Lovely poem Susan, filled with whimsy and magic! And bring on some of your ” kiss of cold, clear wisdom from the heavens,” we can never have enough of that, along with a few angels fluttering about–delightful!
Glad you are all ready to be snowed in, incase that happens–and enjoyed with new enthusiasm your old but new shopping trips. Fun post, thanks!
Thanks, Michelle. I don’t think we’ll be going anywhere for a couple of days, but the snow is almost done, so tomorrow we “get” to shovel. But I’m excited to go out and run more errands–and get my second vaccine, too, at the end of the week.
Susan, you sound as excited for the snow as I am for the sun! Your poem carries so many interesting questions–my favorite section is
“each flake offers
a kiss of cold, clear wisdom from the heavens,
or maybe that angels have been sighted flying wildly about,
laughing and playing and shaking
loose some feathers from their wings”
I think science IS magic–it all depends on what words you choose to describe it!
Thanks, Heidi–I do like the sun, too–as long as it’s not too hot. And I agree with you about science. It certainly does have a lot of magic in it!
I hope you are snugly at home enjoying the view of the snow through your window. I love the imaginative predictions in your poem.
Thanks, Kay. I’ve been sitting by the (gas) fireplace most of the day and watching the snow come down. But supposedly it’s almost done. I’m so grateful to be snug and warm and watching the wonders outside my window.
Fascinating post! A mix of snow, fairy tales, and pondering the relationship between science and magic (with a dash of thinking/feeling/will). I always think snow is magical, too…hope you are still feeling that way now! (Congrats on getting the vaccine! I was really happy that President Biden said we will all be eligible in May. My county has been sloooow.)
Thanks, Tabatha. A little less magic after doing some wrestling with the snow, but the storm itself was awe-inspiring! And I’m really grateful to have gotten the first dose of the vaccine–number 2 coming in a couple days. I got in earlier than I might have for that because the school I taught at wants me to come in and do some work, and the county here has set aside some appointments for each school and I got an appointment that no one who is currently teaching could get to. I feel like I really lucked out!