Fierce Sledding and Snowplay

When you live in someplace like Maine, you just gotta like winter. It's usually about this time of year when I get the itch for spring and warmer weather but on days like today, I don't mind winter. Two days ago, we got nailed. Again.

The kids stayed home from school as we watched over 16 inches of the fluffy white stuff accumulate. It tapered off during the late afternoon and I had enough time before dark to fire up the tractor and clear the drive. Again.

Having a tractor is nice. I can pile the snow up really high. Kids love snowbanks! Before I even started clearing the driveway, there were small bootprints all over our snowbanks. With the latest bit of snow, our snowbanks are about 7 feet tall. Again.

Kids also like sledding. Fast sledding. Fierce sledding. We have a small hill next to our house and, after it snows, I slog out there in my Sorels and my snowpants and stomp out a good sled run down the hill. Again.

It takes me a while but its worth it for the 20 minutes of fierce sledding we do. Of course the kids are 5 & 7 and I am sure that their expectations for fierce sledding will grow as they do. But, for right now, our little hill is just fine. I love seeing their small red cheeks and noses, peeking out from under their snow covered hats as they trudge up the hill, through the snow, ready for another run. Again.

When the novelty of sledding wears off, we retire to the snow forts and tunnels. Seven foot snow banks are great for building things. I shovel out the fort I have been building since January and dig out a little more of the snow cave. The kids either help me or each find their own thing to do. When they finally tire, get wet or get cold, we go in to warm up and drink hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. Again.

I strapped my cross country boards onto my feet this morning and went for a ski on our 55 acres. The fields and forest were pristine and the new snow twinkled in the brilliant sunlight. The air was a crisp, fresh 16 degrees and the only other tracks besides mine were that of 2 to 3 deer, wandering and looking for eats. It's been a nice winter for cross-country skiing. Again.

I know winter can't last too much longer. The likelihood is that it will begin to disappear in the next few weeks. It is the beginning of March after all and time for the sap to run and the snow to melt. I've begun to start the garden plants in our bedroom window; the onions are up, the second round of seeds planted and I need to start the tomatoes soon. Before we know it, they will post the roads and mud season (our prelude to spring) will be here. Again.