At 3:00 O'clock this morning the noise from the pre-dawn traffic was deafening, but not deafening enough to keep me in slumber. I heard a snowplow scraping the road, a log truck whose driver was obviously proud of his engine brakes and several pick-up trucks splashing through the puddles created by last night’s rain. I even heard a horn honk and personally, I think that’s just down right rude.
My disturbed subconscious kicked off the cover of sleep and I awoke… to a room, a house, a world of silence. It figures the only traffic jam is the one in my head! The day can’t hold much promise if your second thought is, “I wonder if I can squeeze in a two-hour nap after breakfast?”
Last night’s rain has turned to snow and the view out my windows is lovely: the back yard is an undisturbed blanket of snow laid before a black forest of powdered trees. The side yard is a Christmas card picture of the village: washed in white and just coming to life. The folks who are up and at ‘em already are walking with their heads down and their collars up, protecting those tender spots- eyes and backbone- from falling snowflakes. I can’t think of anything that brings on a shiver faster than a beautiful winter storm without, viewed from a warm place within, or snow down your back.
L.E. Hughes is a columnist, writer and owner of Diamond Corner B&B in Stratton, Maine. She welcomes your thoughts and comments: dcorner@tdstelme.net.© December 2005 Lew-Ellyn Hughes. All Rights Reserved and Retained by the Author.
