To say that I am not a summer person is an understatement. I sweat profusely in temps above 70. It may be true for some that women don’t sweat, they “glow” —but I drip. And I tend to vocalize my discomfort on those horrid, hot days of July and August.

So, these days of rapidly cooling temperatures make me smile. A friend and I walked from Merrill Auditorium to a delightful dumpling house on High Street. just before Christmas. It was 20 degrees with a 15 mph wind and I smiled the whole way, pulling my knitted scarf around my neck. My down L.L. Bean coat and I have a wonderful relationship.

When the snow began later that week I did a shrill happy dance as the ground quickly coated itself white.

The next storm, I strapped on snowshoes and headed into the woods behind our house with my constant companions, my two border collies. We spent three hours in the beautiful woods and returned to the wood fire in the house, happy and exhausted. It was a really good day.

There is a certain realm one must enter when the winter months take over. It is chill time, time to pick up your knitting, time to start those socks again or begin a harder project. It is a state of mind to embrace the winter. Read more. Binge-watch a great Netflix series. Re-watch “Downton Abbey.” As winter’s inevitable snows fall and accumulate, find ways to enjoy it. Learn to skate or take a child or two and go sledding–you will laugh as you haven’t in a long time. Build a snow sculpture. I once built a snow goddess with enormous bosoms that delighted my friends and the local UPS driver.

Back in the days when I still ran four to five times a week, I set personal records for the coldest run. The first day it was 15 degrees below zero and the following week I awoke to 18 below, I decided I had to do it! The most dangerous part of running in that cold is the tiny ice crystals which quickly form in the corner of your eyes. I learned quickly not to wipe them away. Instead you must dab at them gently to avoid cutting that tender skin with razor-sharp ice crystals! The rest of the run was exhilarating!

Find that joy in the season that overreaches the diminishing daylight. Sleep a little later but get out and enjoy the snowy environment because before you know it, the sun will rise a little earlier, the snowshoe trails will be wet and you will have exhausted your ideas for snow sculptures.

But then spring will be upon us and what can you sculpt with mud?

Revel in the snows of winter – you are in Maine! Learn to love it!

 

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