Winter Wonderland

I haven’t experienced an Illinois winter since 1973. To be honest, it was my only major concern when I made the decision to move back home after so many years away. Should I go back to Texas with its oven-like summer heat or Illinois with its frigid cold winters? Or should I move to Florida like two of my closest friends? After today, I know I made the right choice.

It was around 10:30 A.M. when the snow started, large white flakes floating softly to the ground. There was no wintry wind to slam them violently against the earth, they fell slowly, gently gathering each other close and piling one on top of the other, forming a winter wonderland to rival any that had come before. A scene so beautiful it lifted the mood of the usual somber patrons of the courthouse. Everyone was smiling and talking to each other, then laughing. Wherever there is snow, there seems to be happiness. Maybe it's the memories of the childhood fun each of us experienced: sliding down hills, skating on ponds, and mom waiting inside with a steaming mug of hot cocoa. From inside the warm office, I watched nature’s artist fill his canvas with white, admiring his ability to paint the perfect Norman Rockwell scene.

When it was time to go home, I put on my newly purchased coat, lifted the hood over my head, and slid my hands into the warm toasty interior of those well worn gloves I can't seem to throw out. These were the gloves that had served as my only barrier against the chill of southern winters. Heavy coats are not mandatory there. My footsteps echoed through the empty hall of the courthouse, but silenced when I stepped outside onto a thick carpet of snow. I stopped and looked around at the small town eerily silenced by winter. The usual busy street was quiet, everyone had gone home early. The friendly chatter had moved inside, out of the cold. I wondered what I had been dreading about this abundant accumulation of frozen beauty....then I found my car.

I wasn't prepared for the truckload of snow that had rendered my car unrecognizable. I struggled with the frozen lock and tugged open the door. I jumped back, but was unable to avoid the avalanche of snow that followed. I brushed the snow off my coat and sat down, leaning across the seat to open the glove box. Where was that ice scraper I had used once or twice when I lived in the south? I dug through the debris and finally pulled out the errant scraper. Unfortunately, it was much too small for the huge job awaiting me. I tossed the useless thing to the floor, and used my hands. I cleared off the windshield, the side windows, and the back glass. Much to my dismay, by the time I made it all the way around the car, the windshield was covered again. I admitted defeat, started the car, and turned on the defroster. I waited impatiently for the snow to melt enough to drive home. Now I remember why I like spring better than fall; fall is a warning to us that winter is on its way.

I made it home without having an accident, even though it was impossible to tell where the street ended and the ditch began. I slipped on the back steps, but didn't fall...this time. Inside, I shivered and stamped my feet before hanging my snow-covered coat up to dry. I put on a pot of coffee and dry socks. By the time the coffee was ready, my toes had thawed. I sat down by the window and looked outside. I took a sip of coffee and smiled at the magnificence of the scene before me. Yes, now I remember why I like winter, there's nothing better than being inside, all warm and cozy, while admiring the Zhivagoesque beauty of an Illinois winter.

Story ID:	1667
Written by:	Betty (BJ) Roan (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Musings, Essays and Such
Location:	Toledo IL USA
Year:	2006