Winter is upon us. For every gripe and groan about de-icing car door locks, scraping ice off of windshields, and shoveling snow, there are many more happier Winter memories and pursuits, such as enjoying the aroma of a hickory wood burning fireplace while cozying up with a favorite mystery book, building snowmen with the kids, and building a two-person igloo with one’s brother while school is closed for another snow day. Why not have fun with snow, that one substance that helps to define the very essence of Winter?
One of my favorite Winter memories from long ago while growing up in the American Midwest was sled riding with my uncle. Gary was the greatest uncle a girl could have and chose the best snow covered hills nearest our home. He always carried the sled back up to the top so that I could enjoy another thrilling ride down streets so steep that the city snow plows never got around to clearing them. The sweet treat of hot chocolate with melted marshmallows served by my grandmother upon our return is another happy Winter memory not soon forgotten.
Winter is so much more to us than a seasonal addition of irritating weather surprises and childhood recreation. For many, the appreciation of the beauty of each unique snowflake, tiny ice crystals forming on the tips of blades of grass, and the varied animal tracks that look like they were made with cookie cutters on sculpted white frosting are not replaced by but are joined by new beauty and discoveries found in successive Winters. The appearance of the snowy owl, woodpeckers sharing a tree, and new patterns of icicles hanging from roof eaves like candy canes displayed for children all add to the seasonal splendor.
Please join us for “Winter” here at Halfway Down the Stairs and read about the mythic quality of nature in the fictional story “The Girl Who Spoke Butterflies”, the examination of one hundred years of life in the nonfictional “The Winter of Life”, and enjoy our Winter-themed poetry that includes the kaleidoscope of Winter that is “What the River Birch Says”. Whether you warm up with hot chocolate or hibernate on the couch near the fireplace, our new December issue is sure to provide you with all of the bounty of Winter.
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Sherri Miller is a fiction editor at Halfway Down the Stairs.
© 2023, Sherri Miller
Halfway Down the Stairs 