The "S" word

Last winter felt brutal for me. Not the cold. It was the massive snow accumulation. It was my first winter in this cottage in the woods and we did not bother with a snow blower purchase or the hire out of any plow people. We worked loyally at taming every snow flake to keep a clear driveway, shoveling 5 times a day at times. As the winter was a mere half way, one shovel lost it's will to survive and finally caved. The piles on the side of the house grew taller added to the snow fall off the roof and we were slowly being swallowed alive by the power of many flakes working together. We had to begin shoveling out our windows so the sun light could still visit and the walls on either side of the driveway were so tall and so narrow that our two lane parking area became barely one. Opening a car door on either side meant hitting a snow wall, then slinking out side ways of small doorway opening. I'd have to put one hand on the car as my feet had to walk at an angle up the banks till I could make my way to the front of the car where I would likely then slip on an ice patch. Only to get inside to hear the sound of the woodstove and a news report that another storm was on the way. This went on and on and on, with spring seeming a dream that would never arrive.

Summer came so late this year as the usual summer months were filled with so much rain there was always an excuse to not to work in the yard. It wasn't long before the driveway was half washed out. We had that repaired just in time for some beautiful late days of summer that we all chewed into as though sun starved.

Now in the mid fall, just the end of October I begin to hear it. "It's gonna snow tomorrow"....my head whipping around to this instigator, eyes piercing and voice stern...."do not say the "S" word".

Well said or not, the snow has said hello this morning. Just a gentle white covering that likely won't last long. Or at least that's what I thought last year as one snow storm would stick around to party with the next storm and so on and so on and so on.....

This year I'm armed with snow shoes, we'll buy a new shovel, some good sleds, knew snow boots and hopefully a snow blower. I'll visit the spa and soak in steam and hot tubs. Perhaps I'm still a little haunted by the "S" word, but I'm more prepared. I'll be having to send my motorcycle off to sleep and just enjoy as always, the ever changing landscape........life!