Snow at last.

Snow is falling as I write, and it just changes everything. The whole world, it seems has gone amazingly silent, as if holding its breath.

It started this morning, on the Saturday shopping expedition. Expected? Yes, but it always takes us by surprise. This year we have waited an inordinately long time for snow. Usually we are well into the snowy, winter season by now. The shops displaying skiing equipment, snowboards etc. etc. and warm winter clothes.

This year, however we have had months of rain. It has rained more or less everyday since October. Not too good for a country that relies on the winter visitors, who love to ski, snowboard at the slopes, and skate on our lake. The lake is still flowing freely, almost overflowing its banks with all the extra water.

Now, as I said it is snowing, everyones garden looks identical, and tidy, with peculiar tree shaped mounds, whereas yesterday they looked ravaged, muddy and forsaken. The sky is a beautiful shade of steel grey, and the snow covers all imperfections on the ground. The temperature is falling rapidly and the big freeze has begun. It is a beautiful and ethereal world.

Now the real work begins, the wonderful people turn out in freezing weather to clear the snow filled streets, and pavements, at some ungodly hour, to ensure that life goes on untroubled by snow or ice. Nothing will be affected-schools will be open, buses and trains run on time , people will get to work, just as they did last week. But the ethos is different, people here really enjoy the snow, look forward to it coming, accept the difficulties of getting about,because it lightens up the very dark winter months. Parents dig out their sledges, to take the little ones to town shopping, or to nursery school, older folk dig out their anti slip soles for their shoes when they go out walking. House owners find their snow shovels and clear the patch of pavement outside their house, and all their paths. Everything goes on as normal, just at a slower pace.

No one knows whether the snow will last a day or two, or a month or two, but I will enjoy it while it lasts, even though I too work outside, will be cold, wet, bedraggled, and sporting the coldest hands in town!!! I can´t wait for my turn with the snow shovelling duty at the end of January.

Go carefully in the snow, wherever you live-------------Lynne.