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The Whitehurst Diaries: Winter Solstice Walk-About 'I note each Winter Solstice, not as a pagan affirmation, but in remembrance of my late father Larry's observance of the changing seasons with their complexities of weather. He greeted December 21st as 'the first day of winter'--braced for the extra labor and the watchfulness that a long Vermont winter would surely bring.' - SHARON WHITEHURST Click on headline for story with photo(s) By Sharon Whitehurst Freezing fog has been a presence for three mornings, legacy of the weekend's erratic weather changes. Opening the curtains at what should be daybreak merely invites a spill of grey into the room. The cats rumble down the staircase ahead of me, clamoring at the front door. They hesitate on the brink of stepping out into the heavy December dampness. By the time I have poked up the fire and shrugged into warm clothes, the white blur outside has intensified. Munchkin, the Great Pyrenees in charge of the dry goat pasture bounds up to the fence, woofing a token alarm when I walk to the side porch, camera in hand. Her moving body is a more substantial mass of whiteness in the milky landscape. We dawdled through breakfast--French toast served with maple syrup and a sauce made from blueberries cached in the freezer. By the time I had tided the kitchen a wintry sun was burning away the chilly fog and the sky had brightened to a promising shade of blue. I rummaged out my fleece-lined boots, found a ridiculously large sherpa hat which has a tendency to ride on the bridge of my nose. A down jacket which has seen better years and warm gloves completed my mid-winter outfit. The dry goats greet my progress down the lane with enthusiasm, hoping that I have banana peels or apple parings. Today I have only a handful of stale crackers and the end crust from a loaf of bread which they share with Munchkin We recently sold the fields along the road to a local young couple. They graciously gave me permission to continue walking there. Overnight a skim of ice formed on the pond, and its surface is crinkled with delicate ridges. A bird's nest is revealed in the forked branch of a slender pond-side willow. The recent midnight downpour has revived the creek, dry since August. Cardinals and sparrows bounce in the tangle of shrubbery and vines that define a corner of the field and parallel the deep drainage ditch that slices down from the road. Their voices are subdued and they are too busy for photos. A crow announces my intrusion with a raucous shout. The flowers of woodland and verge are gone. Seedpods rattle and dry leaves whisper beneath the fragile weight of the hedgerow birds. Bleached sycamore leaves lie like crumpled linen on the rough grass edging the harvested fields. I turn back, retracing my route along the creek. My gloves are stuffed in my pockets, my padded jacket unzipped. A faint but noticeable warmth glances over my shoulder and my shadow, fore-shortened, stumps along beside me. The milk goats and the young doelings have been turned into their respective areas, each policed by a huge white dog. The dogs bark and dash along the fences, letting me know that they understand their duties. As the lane slopes uphill toward our house the valley narrows, the steep ridges move closer, holding the buildings in a wedge of open space. Jim has built a fire in his shop and the smoke rises to mingle with the grey plume drifting from the house chimney. Nellie-cat, sprawled in the pool of sun-warmth on the side porch, hears the crunch of my boots on the gravel, stretches and strolls down the hill to meet me, tail held high in greeting. Indoors I note the hands of the kitchen clock are folded at noon. By the time I have pulled off my boots and hung my jacket on the peg by the back door, the sunlight has faded, the sky has resumed the pewter tints of morning, At 3 p.m. when I start to prepare our early supper, the kitchen is dim. I hesitate before flipping the light switch, thinking of the generations before me who might have frugally delayed the lighting of candle or lamp, straining to see in the enfolding dusk. I note each Winter Solstice, not as a pagan affirmation, but in remembrance of my late father Larry's observance of the changing seasons with their complexities of weather. He greeted December 21st as 'the first day of winter'--braced for the extra labor and the watchfulness that a long Vermont winter would surely bring. I have honored this shortest day by walking in a brief hour of sunshine, by layering four paperwhite bulbs in a pot lined with pebbles and peat moss, in anticipation of winter blooms. While early night gathered outside, my kitchen has been light and warm, filled with the aroma of soup and golden cornbread. We have carried in firewood, served the house cats their afternoon 'tea', tallied the small accomplishments of this first day of winter, 2016. This story was posted on 2016-12-21 20:45:24
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More articles from topic Sharon Whitehurst - Whitehurst Diaries:
The Whitehurst Diaries: Morning Walk The Whitehurst Diaries: Delight in wildflowers from Grampa Mac The Whitehurst Diaries: The [Mis]Adventures of Willis the Cat The Whitehurst Diaries: Snake encounters of the mistaken kind The Whitehurst Diaries: My Mothers Day The Whitehurst Diaries: The Night Side of the Moon The Whitehurst Diaries: Between Cloudbursts - Rainy days album The Whitehurst Diaries: Snow in Pellyton, Jan 23 2016 The Whitehurst Diaries: A Lovely Day, 8 Dec 2015 The Whitehurst Diaries: An unlikely soldier, Lawrence Henry Ross View even more articles in topic Sharon Whitehurst - Whitehurst Diaries |
 
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