The amazing winter season

r We are blessed living at this latitude and altitude with four seasons to entertain us during the year. Winter is a cool season (pun intended) because it has some unique features for us to think about and appreciate. The visual impact of winter is multifaceted and gets frozen in our mind (pun intended) for us to take into old age and use wisely.

The weather forecast tells us a snow storm is coming, and it may be the largest storm of the season. We anxiously wait, periodically looking out the window to see if it is snowing yet. When we go to bed we get up with great curiosity to see how much snow has fallen. Then we ask ourselves how long will the storm last. Snow is something we can see, measure, touch and taste. A snow storm brings out emotions we don’t experience in the spring, summer and fall seasons.

The landscape gets a new coat of beauty and brings forth a sense of cleanliness and purity. Then the question: are we going to be able to get out of the driveway today? Driving can be an adventure today in terms of traction and defensive mindset about other drivers on the road. On the lighter side, it is time to make snow angels and snowmen. Now, there is a winter sight for you. Then there are the action shots in our camera or at least in our mind’s eye of sledding, skiing, snowboarding and riding the snowmobile in the winter wonderland. There is just no other season like it.

The winter nights are long at our latitude on the planet. In Utah County, we have about 15 hours between sunset and sunrise during a mid-winter day. With so much darkness, it has always amazed me that the Creator’s wisdom has provided us with a blanket of white snow to reflect the limited light that is available. Just look at the magic of a full moon on a winter night.

Winter is a wonderful season to be cherished and appreciated. Human nature is such that we will soon be ready for change and spring weather and its attributes.