Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Wishing away winter


Christmas may be a pagan mismash but at least it sprinkles a little stardust on the dark days of winter.

But while the holidays can revive December, there's no equivalent to January which always feels like the longest and dirtiest month of the year.

In these dog days of January we toil under leaden skies with little sign of respite. Snow has already lost its novelty factor and the cold seems to have been seeping into our bones for ever.

And, I'm not sure if it's just my imagination, but my bosses seem less tolerant than usual. We endure long hours of techiness under artificial lights and we disappear within ourselves. The beach is a distant memory. The swallows flew long ago.

One day I will visit the southern hempisphere where the seasons are turned upside down. But for now, I endure and think of other times, the past and the future - anything but here.

And the people for whom all hope has gone who are waiting to die.

But when the sun comes out on crisp mornings January can be pretty in an austere, blue kind of way.

I have a new route to work and recently I pulled off the road to check out a nature trail. I'd driven past this place on many occasions but never stopped. But this morning I walked through the quiet of the marshes with the towers of the city, distant oblongs smudged out across the river.

There was a copse of high trees and peaceful white lines in the sky. There were pleasing boardwalks across the freezing waters that the sun cast symmetrical shadows on. So I took pictures and for once realized I was no longer wishing away winter.

For a collection of winter poems see my poetry blog Rhyme and Reason.

13 comments:

  1. And to think that we complain of too much sun over here!

    I was worried in the beginning, but glad that it was ok in the end. Hope your days will be bright and breezy soon.

    Meantime you are welcome to smell the flowers over at The Farm.

    http://www.fruitofmylabour.blogspot.com

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  2. That does look like a nice walk, I can only imagine how nice it would look in the spring.

    Errr, sorry.

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  3. Lovely pictures. I pray for the summer as we are in the midst of a storm 18 inches on the way.

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  4. A bit of blue in the sky. Very grey here

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  5. Thanks Oilfield, appreciate it. Sure Grandpa, will check it out again. I could sort of use spring, Christopher. Cheers VL, some crazy snow stuff going down. Grey in London, Mo? Never.

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  6. Oh, I had no idea you have a poetry blog! As I was reading this, I was just thinking you have a really beautiful way with words...

    These photos are pretty, but I agree with you. Winter is dreadful after the holidays. It gets old so fast. I can't wait until spring!

    PS. Isn't Babs adorable?! She's very real. Lol. I love her so much, I'm seriously considering getting a dog myself. :)

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  7. I used to really hate winter but I am much better these days since a friend lent me her light box. A couple of hours with that on and I feel much happier. Walking helps to, especially on a nature trail. Great photos. :-)

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  8. This nature trail could be a pass to unknown new impressions. At least it looks like that at your photos.

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  9. If I wished away our winter I'd there would only be 3 months left in my year.

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  10. This is very nicely written, David. I think it's my favorite of your posts so far. Then again, I haven't yet read your poetry. I'll be hopping over there shortly.
    xoRobyn

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  11. Thanks Jennifer, she does look cute. Wow, I have heard about these light boxes Frog, we don;t have that three month greyness problem as bad as in England over here. Thanks Olga, I hope so. Ha - Ryan, that's true. Thanks Robyn, fraid it's not my poetry, though; just verse from proper poets.

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  12. Those photos are just exquisite and I absolutely related to your post! I relate especially to the techy boss. She has been fine with me but I've struggled to tolerate her bullying of other staff. *sigh* Onwards and upwards.

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