One Must Have a Mind of Winter

The most disappointing thing about big girl world, to date, is that there are no snow days. It's particularly disappointing now that I live in a state that actually accumulates a significant amount of white powder. It started snowing sometime in the middle of the night, and hasn't stopped. Almost 16 hours of flakes that have no intention of ceasing until tomorrow night. Fortunately, these flakes are prime snow man flakes. After work, I made my way to various stores looking for gloves. I admit that I'm a bit late in the season, but I was shocked to be informed by multiple places that they were out of gloves. They offered me bathing suits instead. I then picked an exhausted husband up from school; he and his bike and his headache were waiting for me outside when I pulled up. I let him rest and gave him some Midol, putting on my best "pretty please" face. We bundled up and went out back to find inches of snowy potential.

Our first attempt was far too small, so we tried again. We had a great time - it was my first snow man! He's a bit lopsided, and his poor eyes kept falling off.

We didn't officially name him, but I think "Bruce" suits him.

Ben read "The Snow Man" by Wallace Stevens, to christen our creation. The whole event was just fantastic.

One must have a mind of winter

To regard the frost and the boughs

Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;

And have been cold a long time

To behold the junipers shagged with ice,

The spruces rough in the distant glitter

Of January sun; and not to think

Of any misery in the sound of the wind,

In the sound of a few leaves,

Which is the sound of the land

Full of the same wind

That is blowing in the same bare place

For the listener, who listens in the snow,

And, nothing himself, beholds

Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

The Snow Man by Wallace Stevens