This is Winter

I woke up late this morning to snow on the ground outside. It was raining as well. I remember thinking to myself, that’s not rain that’s snow. Is it? I had this debate with myself for 2 minutes before my sanity came back and I went outside on the front porch, touched my bare toe to the ground, and went back inside, affirmative that it was snow. Wow, the holidays are drawing closer. Winter, with his black jacket and soft scarf is plodding down the sidewalk, head down against his own creation. Snow comes from every direction. I text my friends in Florida, it’s snowing here. I’m cold. They respond with a laughing emoji but really they don’t know what it’s like to have to wear a jacket 6 months a year. Now I lie in bed waiting for my feet to warm, and they won’t. This is what winter is. Wrapped in blankets, saving the hot chocolate until it begins to cool too much to be pleasant anymore, and dwelling in the bottom of your couch, waiting for the snow to melt and the crocuses to appear. When a coyote yips, deep from my grandparents forest that border the horse paddock, it is just cold. Foxes burrow into their dens, filled with leaves and sticks and perhaps babies. Bears curl up after eaten a feast and sleep for a while. Birds don’t sing as much. This is what winter is. Vermonters have no choice. The syrup and Snowflake Bentley are nice, though.