January Sun

THE LIGHT OF WINTER - A KINDNESS WE MUST NOT GET USED TO

MUSKOKA AS WALDEN

FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM THE DANKNESS OF WINTER, THE LIGHT DEPRIVATION OF A TYPICAL CANADIAN WINTER, THIS JANUARY IS CERTAINLY A BLESSING TO BEHOLD.

IT IS SUCH A NICE RESPITE ON TOP OF A RESPITE, YOU MIGHT SAY, HAVING THIS MODERATE CLIMATE, ABUTTING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, THAT THIS YEAR, HAPPENED TO BE WITHOUT THE SNOW DRIFTS AND WICKED COLD WE EXPECT FROM MOTHER NATURE. THIS MORNING IS SO CALM AND BRIGHT, ONE BYPASSES THE FACT IT IS ALMOST MINUS TEN DEGREES.

HERE AT BIRCH HOLLOW, THE WORK ETHIC IS POOR, THE KEYBOARD ISN'T GOING TO GET MUCH OF A WORKOUT THIS MORNING, AND THE ONLY URGE TODAY, IS TO GET OUT ONTO THE OPEN ROAD, OR WOODLAND TRAIL, AND ENJOY WHAT NATURE HAS SO THOUGHTFULLY GENERATED. MAYBE "THOUGHTFULLY" ISN'T THE BEST CHOICE OF WORDS.

ONCE AGAIN, I ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIFFICULTY THIS MODERATE WEATHER MEANS, TO THE FOLKS WHO DEPEND ON WINTER RECREATION, TO BOOST THEIR BUSINESS ECONOMY. IT IS MOST DEFINITELY ODD, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, SO CLOSE TO MUSKOKA BAY, NOT TO HEAR THE MYRIAD SNOWMOBILES DASHING ACROSS THE ICE. YOU CAN ONLY SEE A FEW SNOWMOBILES ON TRAILERS, BEING PULLED THROUGH TOWN, AND ON THE HIGHWAY, AND WE'RE NOT EVEN SEEING CARS WITH SKIS MOUNTED ON RACKS. I SAW A CAR PULLING A BOAT TRAILER YESTERDAY, AND I'VE HEARD THAT ON OPEN WATER, WATERCRAFT ARE STILL BEING USED BY CONTRACTORS. IT'S GOOD FOR THEM, BUT NOT SO GOOD FOR THOSE WHO DEPEND ON BROKEN SNOWMOBILES, AS REPAIR TECHNICIANS, TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.

WHILE I WANDER ALONG THIS LIGHT AND SHADOW ENHANCED, ICED-OVER WINTER TRAIL, DOWN TOWARD THE BOG, I DO SO WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, THAT A CANADIAN WINTER, AND WHAT WE KNOW OF REGIONAL WEATHER FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, WE MUST TAKE THIS AS A GIFT, A REPRIEVE FROM WHAT WILL STILL BE A LONG HAUL TOWARD SPRING. IT IS JUST SO NICE TO BE ABLE TO STAND OUT HERE, LOOKING AT THE LEANING BIRCHES, AND VENERABLE OLD PINES AND MAPLES, AND HEAR THE RUN-OFF WATER, DRAINING THROUGH THE LOWLAND, AND REALIZE IT IS NOT THE FALL, AND NOT THE SPRING, AND THERE ARE TIMES IN LIFE, WHEN ONE QUESTIONS-LESS, AND ENJOYS-MORE. THIS IS THE TIME FOR ENJOYING WHAT WE HAVE BEEN AFFORDED BY AN UNPREDICTABLE NATURE. THERE'S A FOUL WIND-A-BLOWIN' SOMEWHERE OUT THERE, AND IT WILL FIND US SOONER OR LATER.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WE'VE WHIPPED PAST THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, AND WE'RE HEADING TOWARD FEBRUARY. I GUESS BEING BUSY HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. TRY TO FIND SOME TIME TODAY, TO ENJOY THE SUN AND MILD TEMPERATURES, BEFORE WINTER FINDS US GETTING COMPLACENT WITH THIS EASE OF LIVING. LET THE SUN INTO YOUR SOUL.

"ISN'T IT HEAVENLY?" MY MOTHER WOULD SAY, ON A DAY LIKE THIS.

GOD REST HER SOUL.