Lingering in The Fleetville Larder our local coffee shop, I’m served a hot chocolate as I watch the snowfall; I take a sip, it’s the perfect temperature and immediately warms me as I think about what a crazy week it’s been! It feels cosy in here as snow flurries beat against the window and the place is filled with the sound of lively conversation and the smell of sweet pastries.
I’ve stayed local for the past few days and it has been an opportunity to relax a little and watch moving images on the news of those poor people stuck in blizzard conditions having to sleep in their cars overnight, or listening to those amazing junior doctors and nurses being interviewed as they walk for miles to get to work.
I, on the other hand, haven’t achieved a huge amount for humanity over these past couple of days. In fact, this week has been an opportunity to get to the bottom of my laundry basket, de-clutter my cupboards, bring some things to the local charity shop, polish my wooden floor and revise some of my old novellas relegated to my filing cabinet
I decide to cut across the park on my way home. Snowflakes continue to fall at a gracious pace into the white air. Tall bare trees are silhouetted against a white canvas and I try to relax my muscles and lower my shoulders; surrendering to sub zero temperatures.
I breathe down the icy air under the white northern skies, wrapped up warm, I enjoy the bright stillness, the solitary pace of my steps crunching on the hard frozen grass through biting winds. A single gull circles in an upward sweep into the icy gusts.
Snow for me has always been associated with fun times as it was quite a rare occurrence when I was growing up and always resulted in playful snow fights with my brother and sister and building snowmen. As snow is really rare in Italy, my mother would get excited and whenever it snowed, would join us in launching snowballs.
I ask myself can it really be March? March has always been a time of daffodils, crocuses and tulips, buying Easter eggs, and putting winter jackets away in the wardrobe.
We’re told that we may be facing more extreme climatic conditions in the future, so be it; we can only accept Nature’s transience, but for now, Spring is almost here and I’m looking forward to the park being animated with life, and to sunlight bathing our pale complexions.
