February 2017 – miss wintringham

Snow swirls into rain, flakes become hail which becomes droplets of water. Still ice-cold they soak through coats and tumble down hastily opened umbrellas. The rumblings of a snowblower called into action ricochet off walls and tumble onto the sidewalk where they are swept up with the slush and tossed off the sidewalk. Some knocks into the window, startling those inside buried beneath layers of sweaters and scarves. The chill seems to seep through every crack and crevice, its unwelcome presence just another side-effect of supposed storm outside.

The chill follows the hurried footsteps moving from building to building as eyes peer out from fur-trimmed hoods and knit hats. Slipping up behind individuals, it wraps its cold fingers in theirs, clinging to them. Not wanting to be left out, the wind brushes by and howls past the windows. It races down the street, sprinting up the sidewalks. Threatening to knock people over, it swirls around them and continues on its merry way.

As afternoon turns to dusk and the sun slips behind the horizon, people begin to emerge from their piles of blankets. Stirring in their rooms they pull back the shades and admire the blanket of slushy snow coating the ground outside. Eager to be outside, they bundle up in layers of varying degrees of wool, flannel, and down. Pulling on their boots they grab their keys and step outside into the winter they’ve been waiting for. Although its not entirely a winter wonderland, its only the beginning and the best is yet to come.