AND SO THIS IS WINTER

Winter has officially begun and I'm one of those crazy people who loves the cold and snow. I long for fall and winter ALL year long and can barely wait for the first snowflakes to fall. I have some concerns about winter weather though. The plight of homeless people and animals is always on my mind and of course I want everyone to be safe while driving or shoveling snow, but as long as the snow comes anyway, why not enjoy it?

When it's snowing and I'm tucked safely and warmly inside my home, I think back to my days of growing up when schools didn't close because there were a few inches of snow on the ground. We pulled on boots, leggings, coats, hats, mittens, and off we'd go. We were lucky to have our elementary school and high school each one block from home. That also meant there were no excuses for not being able to get to school. We walked. It was always good to arrive home after school and watch one of our favorite TV shows - a local broadcast with Flippo the Clown. http://www.flippotheclown.com/ He was silly, showed the best cartoons, and always invited the most beautiful fairy, Suzy Snowflake, to be his guest during the winter. She had a theme song which might be one of the first songs I ever memorized. Here are the lyrics:

Here comes Suzy Snowflake, dressed in a snow white gown,

Tap, tap, tappin' at your window pane to tell you she's in town.

Here comes Suzy Snowflake. Soon you will hear her say,

"Come out ev'ryone and play with me, I haven't long to stay.

If you want to make a snowman, I'll help you make one - one, two, three.

If you want to take a sleigh ride, whee...the ride's on me".

Here comes Suzy Snowflake. Look at her tumblin' down,

Bringing joy to every girl and boy, Suzy's come to town.

Actually, I loved walking through the snow to school. I liked it best when it drifted over my boots and up to my knees. I used to sing along the way, "Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go . . . ", while I imagined being able to visit a grandmother who did live somewhere through the woods in a remote cabin or cottage. I admit to still indulging in those fantasies from time to time, and now I can play in my own cozy backyard cabin, but the illusions of youth have been replaced by the realities of adult life.

Winter may not be your favorite time of year, but the season you love best is always just around the corner.