I always look for the positive things during the winter months because I always crave the heat of the summer. To be honest, as far as I’m complaining, there are a lot of beautiful things to enjoy during the season if you keep your eyes peeled. There are days that are better than others, of course.
I remember as a kid, as I took the school bus, I breathed on the windows to melt the ice just to watch the new feathered creations form on the clean window. Depending on the cold, conception would form very quickly or at a slower rate. I have always been fascinated by the works of art that have been created; different every time. Plus, it was a great way to spend an hour on the bus each day!
Nature has the means to create beautiful works of art also during the winter months. Depending on your curiosity, you can even spend hours looking closely at the new fallen snowflakes for their unique qualities. Since each snowflake is created differently, it was like a kid to pull out a magnifying glass and look at every intrinsic detail. It truly is one of life’s little miracles to know that everyone is slightly different from each other. I still find myself watching them closely today because the fascination never seems to fade.
The garden always takes a new and different turn in winter. I like to see the statuaries with their small caps of snow on a balmy day as if they were frozen in time, while watching the garden. The dead grass in the urns still sway in the wind as if they continued to grow despite the cold. The dead vines hang below as if they just wanted to create a memory of what was months ago. Every element of the garden still has a nice dynamic at this point of the year.
Last Sunday we had a very foggy afternoon before the snow set in with poor visibility. As the hazy day lingered, vapors began to cling to every plant matter that remained outside. After hours of this process, the frost that was accumulating on everything became very thick. The conifers appeared to have been removed from the nursery after re-flocking and placed in the yard. Some had been decorated with Christmas lights which tend to shine inside this beautiful piece of art.
The trees, with their many branches, are painted white with just the dark stems of the larger branches appearing from below, creating a beautiful accent resembling a black and white photo. The bushes appear to be twice as thick as each thin stem is dense with frost making it appear much taller and fuller.
Even items that aren’t as attractive in the garden, like a chain link fence, develop a new and unique feel. With the thick white frost on the wires, it looks like a delicate trellis surrounding the yard. As much as we enjoy these winter times, many of them are short lived as the light breezes from North Dakota will soon wash away all of these facets. I find myself running before the winds come and take as many pictures as possible, because those are the moments that I love to enjoy the most before they disappear. These can be some of the best winter moments in the garden that we must cherish.
Since winter has just started, take advantage of all the special moments that are sure to happen over the next few months. There will be days when we have heavy snowfall with very little wind and everything will look like a winter paradise. There will also be times when a Midwestern blizzard will blow through the area and create snow drifts that will create a new design in our yards every time the wind turns. The desert gets sand dunes of various shapes and textures; we get snowdrifts with the same effects. Of course, there will be work to do to clean our driveways and sidewalks, but we can also see the positives in everything around us as it will make the season even more enjoyable.
For the new season and the new year ahead, let’s all take a different stance in our views and just get a little more positive and clear out all the negativity that seems to fill our world. After all, like every little snowflake, each of us together can do something amazing if we begin to enjoy the sweetest things in life.
Happy New Year everyone and enjoy those around you!
To read more articles written by John Zvirovski, click here.
