Snow and a few nice things
by Danielle Charles
Today I walked home in a blizzard. I’ve been trying to walk home more, you see, and “rain or shine” was what I said. Rain or shine or blizzard. So I started off in the blue light of late afternoon, the world muffled as though it were draped under a heavy blanket, the powdery flakes already collecting on my clothes. As I walked, the wind whipped the snow into my face and at times I could barely see. Walls of snow came at me and the wind took my breath away. Every step was slippery, so that it more often than not felt like I were walking in place. But, it was strangely satisfying too – being alone in the elements, a single observer of miraculous things, trudging my way through the wind and snow. I felt alive, I felt like the heroine of some important story.
Now that I’m home safe, only hearing the wind howl and the snow pelt the windows, there are a few things I’ve been wanting to share:
Can’t stop listening to this song or watching that man dance to it. It just makes me happy, makes me want to dance too.
Some new blogs I’m loving: this one, this one and that one.
Found a new way to make hot chocolate, or “drinking chocolate” as I like to call it (because it seems more like something you’d have in a small dimly lit European Cafe, hot cocoa has too many associations with Swiss Miss and marshmallows and makes me think of truck stops) - bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan, then add 1/3 of a bar of dark chocolate ( I like Green and Blacks) broken into pieces. Whisk in the chocolate until dissolved, then add a sprinkle of salt and the merest touch of cream, like you might add to your coffee.
My newest favorite cookbook is this – well… and this too.
Can’t wait to see this movie or this one.
Future library/bedroom.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend, full of adventures and nice things.
Oh wow that guy has the moves! (I might have to practice some of those, especially the little head shimmy.)
Your drinking chocolate recipe sounds wonderful- and we still have about five bars of dark chocolate left over from Christmas so a it’s perfect way to indulge and use them up.
Your walk sounds great, I know just what you mean about being out in nature with the elements. Sometimes I can be trudging along thinking about getting home, then suddenly my perspective changes, I look around and everything is just right and I start to enjoy the wind, rain or snow in a whole new way.
Off to explore the rest of your links now!!
xxxxxxxx
He does, doesn’t he! (I love the little head shimmy too
) Having too many chocolate bars on hand sounds like a good problem to have! Being a chocolate addict, that doesn’t often happen for me!! I hope you’ll enjoy them this way, I’ve been really loving it as my afternoon treat.
Happy winter day to you
D
Reminds me of Loreena McKeenitt’s song Snow which was originally a poem by Archibald Lampman, a Canadian, in the 19th century. Being Canadian herself, McKennitt met his lyrical language with her own melody. The result is breathtaking. Find it on YouTube as well!
Meet Archibald Lampmap here:
http://hyalineprosaic.blogspot.com/2010/12/meet-archibald-lampman-winter-poetry.html
It’s too early in the morning for me to remember how to add hypertext. lol Where’s my coffee already?
Lampman, even. See? Coffee deprivation strikes again!
Hi Kieron,
Thank you so much for sharing the link. What a fabulous poet he was? He so captures the feelings of winter, the emotions that underlie it. I loved reading them, it was perfect for a bitterly cold Sunday morning
The song is especially beautiful too.
Thanks for two great treats
D
You almost……….almost had me wishing I was back home in the snow (and 19deg temps today) instead of sunning myself in Florida. Okay my temporary lapse of sanity is forgiven and I can sit back and indulge myself albeit second hand by re-reading again your delightful blog….I can still make the hot chocolate and mark up on the calendar to keep an eye open for the release of the movie about Salmon Fishing in Yemen as that appeals to me as well……………….many hugzzzzzzz keep warm
Hot chocolate is good anywhere – rain, snow, or Florida sun
Hope you’re enjoying that lovely Florida sunshine – please send some to me!!
XOXO
D
I love your description of your walk home. Having enjoyed several such walks myself I am convinced our lives are poorer because we don’t have to walk home anymore through wind, rain, snow, or idyllic sunshine – whatever the weather, it is always a rich sensory journey and a balm to the weary mind . . . a welcome interlude as we transition from one part of our day to the next.
So true, Laurel – and beautifully said. I couldn’t agree more. There is so much that happens to a person on a walk – the meditative thinking, the beautiful things that are noticed – that are direly missed on car commutes and bus rides. We might think that getting from one place to another is one of those pointless processes in our day – but in reality those are the times when life can really be lived, things can be noticed, events can happen, dreams can be dreamed.
Thank you for your lovely comment
D
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