First Snow
snow
\ˈsnō\
: precipitation in the form of small white ice crystals formed directly from the water vapor of the air at a temperature of less than 32°F (0°C)
: a descent or shower of snow crystals
: a mass of fallen snow crystals
Winter time: suddenly softly everything that was moving is still. Frozen in place. Frozen in time. So until spring, fox, deer and birds have tucked away... Their homes now snow packed and heavy. They will have a busy days work digging out of their homes and travel anywhere is almost impossible for man or beast....
Minnesota is notorious for surprise winter weather. Especially in the northern woods. God's Country is beautiful, but given that name for a reason. People look forward to this all year round. Winters first snow fall. Leave it also to Minnesota to dump a whopping 2 feet of snow in less than 24 hours causing your everyday life to come to a screeching halt. If my husband and his hunting pals had arrived any less than 2 hours of getting to the snow dusted cabin they would of had to turn around and come back home because without a chainsaw, you were not getting through this road. (Road pictured below, yes that is road....)
Weight of the snow bends trees covering the road
I must give credit to my husband, Max, for taking some pretty spectacular photos for me. When he had called me and told me it was a winter wonderland like none other he had seen before I was completely jealous and protested on the phone. I never thought I would be jealous of hunting weekend... which is saying A LOT because quite frankly I'd never shoot a deer or any animal... unless of course I was infact starving. Well come to find out they didn't do much hunting at all... actually none. Just a lot of snow removal and cutting trees out of the 4 mile dirt road back to the main road. And of course their cabin is the last cabin on this 4 mile winding road. There are many things I love about winter and one of them is how beautiful a wet heavy snow looks like when it sticks to everything. But the cold, the cold I could do without!
One tiny snowflake weighs .002 grams! But when billions of snowflakes stick together they snap 60 foot trees in half. They bend trees to the ground so they bow to the sky. Winter has a backbone no one should mess with, and when it flexes its muscles you don't fight back. Winter appears quiet and soft but it's wind bites, it's air is dry and breathless, and it's beauty is intriguing yet treacherous.
For the lonely little cabin in the winter, memories of summer freeze in place until they thaw for a spring awakening. The lake that we were swimming in just a few short weeks a go will be a frozen vast desert. The sounds of laughter and boat motors, the smell of grilled steak and smoky camp fires is replaced with silence except the snow falling. Water skiers turn to cross-country skiers. Jet skiers turn to snowmobilers. Fishing boats to ice houses. Swimsuits to snow pants. All part of being a everchanging Minnesotan.
And in Minnesoata there are many types of snow: snow that is bitter cold, dusty and drifting to your windowsill, snow that is wet then freezes a hard crusty layer on top while fluffy and light underneath, and then there is a heavy, sticky, packed wet snow. The kind perfect for snow forts and snowmen. The kind that makes the trees bow down to the sky. The kind that collapses roofs and is the worst to shovel. The kind that sticks to the bottom of your boot making you taller with each step. This was THAT kind of snow.
Without snowshoes, expect to struggle and not make it far through this kind of snow. Every time you take a step you sink deep. The ground is uneven and trying to make your life difficult, so after a few feet you might as well just lay down because you aren't getting anywhere fast. And then your soaking wet. Socks, pants, gloves, boots, underwear, everything is wet! So now you're cold and wet and you just need to give up. Hang up the clothes, get a cup of coffee... and cuddle in front of the fire. :)
The best part of winter is coming into the cozy warm cabin. Its only heat source is this old wood stove, but when the fire gets roaring you'll be striping layers quickly. The smokey smell engulfs all it touches and fills the air with the sweetest aroma of that melting sappy pine.
Meet my husband Max <3 Don't mind the gun on his chest, he's 'trained' but most importantly is legal. As you may tell from his picture, he is a rugged hunter, scruffy, someone it would be okay to get lost with... capable of weathering extreme climate conditions, bold, strong, heroic, self-reliant, definite male, muscular and audacious. Ha Ha Ha. He's packing a 30 pound portable deer stand on his back out of the woods... through the snow that I mentioned before, just being a crazy man. And this is the only selfie he took, for me ;) and furthermore will probably be angry for sharing it on public fronts. But I just can't leave it out! :D
So until the spring rains come and melt away the snow, until the warmer winds come and wipe away the winter bite, until the sun pours out its warm rays and thaws the ground, until next time, we say goodbye to the lonely cabin for the winter. We seal it up and close the blinds, we board up the screens and cover the furniture to perserve its beauty and protect the precious memories and hard work everyone puts into the cabin. From the first snow to the last, the cabin is always there waiting for us, waiting for the laughter and joy to fill it once again. Waiting for the good times and memory making moments. Waiting for the snow to melt and for the truck to roll down the driveway to visit once again.
-Amy