A Winter to Remember

I'm writing this post on the first full day of spring. When I look out the window, most of the snow is gone, and there are a few American Robins scouting our lawn for worms. The high will be in the 50s today, and I'm ready for it!

Our winter in CT this year reminded me of the winters I remembered growing up--the kind of winter where we would get snow, then another day of fresh snow, and then another--one piled on top of the other until late February or March when the sun would be strong enough to begin melting it away. We also had bitterly cold weather — for much of February, it was too cold to take my Bruce out for a hike.

Nonetheless, while it was challenging to be stuck indoors for weeks at a time, it was also nostalgic — reminding me of what it was like in years past.  I started to complain when I couldn't go out for a walk, but that frustration quickly turned to gratitude.  For over a decade now, our winters have been mild--light snow one day, rain the next, snow, melt, rain, repeat. My son, knowing these mild winters well, couldn't understand the types of winters I remembered until this year. Then he got to enjoy it, too. He went hiking with me a few times and then skiing with the Ski Club after school. Last year, we paid for a four-day ski pass, but he only used it once. This year, he was able to go all four times.

We also had seven old-fashioned snow days--yes, seven! I call them old-fashioned because they were full days off.  There was no obligation to be online in front of a screen. Instead, we could sleep in, eat well, play games, and get some rest and relaxation. (I used the time for studying.) 

Going back to school has kept me from regularly posting on my blog, but here are some of my favorite pics from our old-fashioned winter...

In January, we started with a wisp of snow, but soon we had storms that totaled up to 18 inches in some places.  On one hike, Hubby and I had a chance to go immediately after a storm--it was magical with the snow still glistening on the trees all around us. On other hikes, I was able to take my trusted companion Bruce. He typically likes to lead the way, and every once in a while, I can get him so excited that he runs and goes into "puppy mode."

In January, we spent one day snow tubing with Lewie's cousins. We had gone many times with friends, but this was the first time with family. It was a blast! Unfortunately, since we were all scattered, I didn't get any photos of us on the mountain, but I did manage to get this pic of us chilling at our favorite restaurant afterwards. 

Yes, it was a "real" winter this year. If I still had ice skates, I could have gone skating at some of our local ponds. Even our town hosted a "skate day," where people brought their own ice skates, while they served cookies and hot chocolate.  

Of course, like all "real" winters, there comes a time when we tire of the snow. For me, the excitement ended around the second week of March after we got our first warm day in the 70s!!! The warm spell didn't last long, but it was enough for me to crave the new season. I can't wait to see the first green, yellow, and purple sprouts of spring flowers... They haven't arrived yet, but I know they are ready to make an appearance soon!

A Long Winter

Somehow, January skipped to March, and in between, there was work, school, illness, and a few bright spots here and there.

Being a new employee, I still couldn't take time off from work yet, so I had to squeeze in family fun on weekends and holidays; however, even our weekends and holidays felt scarce because of a long-lasting stomach bug (through most of January) and repeated colds. In late February, I finally caved in and made an appointment for Little Lewie and me to see our naturopath. Lewie had lost more than six days of school and was still feeling sick to his stomach. The poor kid spent his "well" time trying to get caught up on all the work he missed, and although I paid over $300 for him to be part of the ski club, he only had one day of skiing out of the entire season. It was a bummer for sure!

On the other hand, we did have a few snow days, and I used the time to get out there and hit the trails. Lewie came with me a few times, but when he couldn't, I always had my trusty pup, Bruce, to keep me company. Ironically, many of our snow days fell on the weekends, so Bruce and I were able to enjoy the snow this winter more than any other since we adopted him in 2020. We had about twelve hiking days in the snow, which was a record!

Some other fun moments were roller skating with my bestie, Jen, tubing with my hubby, and attending two 50th birthday parties. The tubing experience with my hubby was a pleasant surprise. Ever since my husband had a complete knee replacement surgery in November, he's been going to physical therapy three times a week and doing well. I wasn't sure if it was wise for me to buy tickets for us to tube, but he kept saying he'd "give it a try," and I kept promising him that there was no pressure for him to continue if it felt uncomfortable.

Fast forward to the day of our tubing adventure, and we had one of the best experiences ever! For years, he could only go down the hill a handful of times because of his knee. This time, with his new knee, he went down more times than I could count. Even more, he started off wearing a knee brace and realized not only did he not need it, but it was actually interfering with his mobility. He was snow tubing like he was ten years younger. We were both AMAZED!

Finally, I am dubbing this year the year of "Midlife" or the year of turning 50. Yes, I will be turning 50 in October, which is leading me to reevaluate my journey. I am proud to say I was accepted into an Ed.D. program, which I may start as soon as this summer! (The goal is to say I started an Ed.D. program in my 40s--lol). 

However, since I am turning 50, so are most of my friends. Thus, the slate of 50th birthday party celebrations has only just begun. Two of my friends, Debbie and Mary Ann, turned 50 this month, and so did my cousin, Carl. Another friend has hers in April. I am careful not to post some of these birthday photos here since not everyone wants a grand announcement, but I am posting the picture of my cousin, Carl. He, by far, has the best attitude toward turning the big 5-0. "I am so happy to be 50. I am so happy to be this age." Truthfully, minus the aches and pains, I'll admit that I like the wisdom that comes with being this age, too. Of course, I'm still 49. Might as well not rush it.

My cousin's 50th Celebration from yesterday. Who says 50 can't be AWESOME?

Let it SNOW!

Truth be told, I never used to be a snow person.  As a kid I would have the occasional snow day off from school, but on those same days, I'd have to go out and shovel with my mom and grandfather--there were no friends or siblings to play with me in the white stuff afterwards.

Fast forward to my adult years, and snow became both beautiful and inconvenient.  It was beautiful to see our landscape changed into a wintery wonderland, but snow also meant cold, ice, treacherous driving conditions, and being stuck indoors.

When Little Lewie was born, snow became magical.  I finally had someone to play with me in the snow!  Hubby, Little Lewie, and I would sled, have snowball fights, and make snow angels.  We did this for years (on our days off from work) until the magic stopped.  Mother nature would either deliver us snow one day and then melt it the next, or we didn't get any.  During the last two years, the only way we could enjoy the white stuff would be to seek it out.  Hubby, Little Lewie, and I would venture 90 minutes north to a ski resort that made the white stuff just so we could enjoy a fun day of snowtubing.

This winter was trending to be the same...a dry December and January with almost 40 degree temperatures meant another boring year of waiting for spring.  Without snow, winter had simply lost its charm... And then came February...

February 1and 2nd brought 12 inches of snow; then a week later, there was another 10 inches.  The pandemic made it so that there were no more snow days.  Little Lewie's teachers would conduct lessons from home via Google Meet, and I'd still have my virtual work meetings, but being home meant we could still sneak in a walk in the snow or some sledding down the street.  Without the commute, enjoying the snow was possible during lunch and even after work hours (the sun isn't setting now until almost 5:30).

All I can say is "Let it Snow!"  For the first time in my life, I've been taking regular hikes in the snow and loving every moment of it.  Our puppy Bruce (who loves the white stuff) always comes with me, and once or twice a week, I get hubby and Little Lewie to join me, too.  Our walks have been breathtakingly beautiful, and it has been so much fun to watch this little pup play in the snow.  Speaking of playing, we even had a chance to go snowshoeing for our very first time as a family.  Before this winter, Little Lewie didn't even know what a snowshoe was...now, he's seen tons of people with snowshoes on our walks, and he's even tried it out for himself.  We all loved it so much, we're considering buying some...

Today as I write this, it's raining outside.  Other states that are not used to snow, like Texas and Louisiana, are getting snow and ice (causing terrible power outages).  The weather patterns are crazy. I'm not sure if this is the last of our winter wonderland here in CT or if we have another week or two to enjoy it, but I'm hoping for the latter.  During one of my last hikes, I realized how much more I love to walk in the snow--the fresh air, the quiet, the beauty.  (I'd take it over mosquitos, ticks, poison ivy, and humidity any day of the week.)  

Our winter of 2021 will go down in history as the year we truly enjoyed this season and all of its glory.  Staying home during the pandemic helped me understand its simple, understated pleasures even more.  There's another rain/snowstorm in the forecast this Thursday...  These last few pictures will demonstrate exactly why I'm hoping it's a snowstorm that is on its way...