Snow has been on my mind these days. The last few weeks have been weirdly warm here in sunny Vermont, and it just doesn't quite feel like Christmas yet! I'm learning that I have very "essential" ideas of seasons, mostly built around the time my family spent in Alaska. (We have just recently moved to VT after living in AK for nearly 25 years! That's a long time!!) Wintertime to me has a very specific look that I find myself impatient for ... it's not necessarily a temperature thing? But more that I keep expecting the light to do certain things. It certainly gets dark early enough to make the nights feel long and cozy! But I am missing the reflective and colorful quality of snow at different times of day.
(These photos were taken near the beginning of November ... I miss a good frosty morning!)
Here's today's question: do you have a favorite season? Tell me what you like about it! (Or what makes you cringe if you're feeling That Way.)
Today's advent storybook is also about winter and the magic of Christmastime snow.
Day 02 – The Snowman – Raymond Briggs A wintertime classic my family surprisingly never owned! The Snowman is a wordless illustrated story that follows the midnight adventures of a boy and his snowman who magically comes to life. I’ve seen the animated version quite a few times, but I didn’t realize how closely the style matched the beautiful colored pencil illustrations! I also love the panel format … the action is very clear, and offers a window into a very magical world created by childhood imagination. My favorite panels are when the boy brings the snowman inside his house and introduces him to everyday things like light switches, paper towel rolls, and ice cubes. The book does end on a bittersweet note … but like other Christmas stories, the magic is spontaneous and ephemeral ... you get the feeling this memory will be kept close at heart for many years to come.