Something Wild: In Appreciation Of Winter

Wait! Don't wish this winter away...not yet.

Before dirty, old snow banks rot and melt onto sun-warmed pavement; before sweet steam of maple sugaring or green thoughts at St. Patrick's Day; remember one perfect day, when winter took your breath away.

Magic: when the unbridled beauty of fresh snow blows drifts to bury the crankiness of plowing and shoveling. Magic: when morning sunlight spills through pine and hemlock boughs bending gracefully, cascading spft aerial avalanches after a storm. The sky clears. Diamonds of crystalline snow swirl in the dry air. Our towns transformed to miniature snow globes.

You remember those half-done, plastic trinkets, rekindling innocent childhood visions of North Pole reindeer and elves? Or maybe it's Northfield, South Sutton, Easton or Westmoreland.

We grow blind to the beauty of snow that softens hard edges of small towns and villages: clustered homes, open fields and deep forests worthy of the Christmas card, Currier and Ives clichés. New England vernacular--our signature brand--features this winter fastness and the feeling of quiet isolation that returns briefly at the height of the storm. Before thoughts are hijacked by a difficult commute, unexpected delays or work necessary to clear the mess.

But before you wish aloud once more for spring, remember the magic of a perfect snowy day, when we reap dividends in incomparable winter beauty.

Around the Globe- A Snow Globe Timelapse Journey from Canada to London from All Cut Up Films on Vimeo.