Serendipity Gardens by Carol Hegel Lang

The month of February thus far has been a snowy one and more is in the forecast this week. As the sun is rising in the sky this morning the newly fallen snow from yesterday is glistening like diamonds when the sun hits the snowflakes that are on top. How beautiful it is, indeed. Have you ever caught a snowflake and really looked at it? They are incredible. And to think that no two of them are alike.

I don’t think I could describe the seasons any better than this quote: “Nature inspires my everything. She inspires my solitude, my writing and my art. She lifts me upon her welcoming wings and soars me through the sky of possibilities. She colors my day, brightens my soul and calms my nights. She is fierce and beautiful, strong and delicate — an unrelenting Queen so generous of advice and never weary of new beginnings. In spring a colorful maiden, in winter a wise old lady, in autumn a looking-glass to my falling-leaf self, and summer a warm blossomed benefactor, comrade to the sun. A constant companion — sometimes indifferent, sometimes nuzzling me with her genial breezes and raining drops of heaven onto me. To close my windows and shut her out is error and melancholy.” — Terri Guillemets  

Once I retired from working after 40 years, I was able to enjoy what the weather was like every day because I could see outside. You see, during all those years I worked in buildings where I had only limited views of the outdoors as I walked past a door or window. How had I missed all the things that Mother Nature had provided us with — like snow — as it cascaded down from the sky, wind as it blew the snow around, an approaching storm or the smell of spring and autumn? During the winter months I went to work in the dark and when I came home the sun was setting in the west. On the weekend I was always busy getting the household chores done and didn’t really take the time to enjoy what the weather was doing.

The months of February and March are often filled with snowstorms and lots of wind and I have to say, I will often stop what I am doing just to watch outside and see the weather. As a child I loved to see how Jack Frost had painted the windows in the upstairs of our house as us kids got up and ready for the school day or weekend. For years I didn’t take the time as an adult to enjoy all these wonderful pieces of artwork painted on the windows. Yesterday I stopped what I was doing and grabbed my camera to take a few photos of these delicate works of art that were painted on the mirrors I have in my garden.

Too often as adults we just don’t take the time to enjoy the little things in life because the pace is so hectic anymore. Life was so much simpler years ago and so many of us just didn’t appreciate all these little things in life. What fun we had building snowmen and snow forts when we were younger. When our granddaughter was little I would bundle her up and outside we would go to play in the snow or just sit under the branches of the pine trees laden heavy with snow to watch the snowflakes gently falling to the ground. Now that she is a teenager I sure miss those special moments with her.

Over the past few years I have grabbed my camera on many occasions to take photos of the weather and the cloud formations. On cold winter nights I will look at the sky filled with stars and a feeling of awe creeps into my body that we have this beautiful universe filled with so much to look at. A winter storm is not fun to drive in but it sure can be exciting to watch. Often the late season snows are filled with moisture and what a beautiful landscape we have painted for us. This time of the year we yearn for spring to arrive after being cooped up inside all winter and it will arrive one of these days.

 

Carol Hegel Lang is a green thumb residing in Albert Lea. Her column appears weekly. Email her at carolhegellang@gmail.com.