Snows of Aspinwall Hill

Along in drear nighted December, the snows are often not too heavy nor frequent. Yet we now are in the last week of January, 2011. Snow is a constant. The slipperyness, the gelid cold, the smoke puffing from the chimney across the road, well...winter is a month old.

We stop at these times and think, well, what if our mittens were to get lost? If the door were locked and we neglected to take our key? Should the heat fail us, and the pipes freeze?

At thest times we eye the NY Times travel section of course. There are tens of millions of Americans, Europeans, Africans, Asians, and Martians enjoying sunny, wonderful weather, the kind of weather that does not defeat human life. And then we wonder...why is it we are not there, with them, comfortable.

I don't have an answer, just the question.

Cold January

Busted pipes, snow, ice, drifts, wind, extra blankets, anti-freeze, scarfs, cocoa, soup, snow-pants, plows, school cancellations, brilliant stars, the wolf moon, heated car seats, windshield washer fluid, roundup of the homeless, radiator steam vents whistling, weatherstripping, and icicles. Hello January 2011.

What is the state of our union with winter? In bucolic Brookline, the temperatures go below zero for the first time in 6 years. Snow is piled in places where once we strolled unimpeded. Now we take smaller, more deliberate steps on the snow and ice maintaining balance and uprightness. The warmest room in the house is the boiler room and laundry.

Hot and spicy food is the order of the day. We think of how nice it would have been to have canned fresh vegetables at the ready....and ever more spaghetti sauce, chili, and cinnamon rolls to snack on. What should we make today? Pickles? Yogurt cheese? Lentil soup? Sourdough bread?

Let's keep it simple...it's cold out.