Monday, March 24, 2008

Walking in a winter wonderland

With the hassles of winter-living, it's easy to take for granted the beautiful little things that one can really only enjoy in this otherwise disconsolate season.


I would oftentimes find myself smiling, filled with happiness walking along Macleod trail in downtown Calgary and the southwest suburbs. An early morning snowfall or frost magically turns these places into, as the Christmas song puts it, a winter wonderland. I would find myself wishing I had a fancy camera to capture the moment so I could re-visit it every time winter's short gray days seem to get the best of me. But I don't have a fancy camera and I don't carry my old Olypmus around anymore - it used to be somewhat of a mainstay in my purse.


Today morning I was walking by city hall, where tall trees lined the sidewalks and fresh flowers sat snuggly in huge gray urns. Little blue christmas lights were wrapped closely and tightly on the tree trunks and branches, and they illuminated the entire side-walk with their cheerful yet mellow light-blue glow. I've walked by that street several times before and I am just as happy now as I was the first time.


Today, my sidewalk adventure was even more special because of a nice morning surprise - a gentle snow fall. The wind was not blowing angrily like usual, in fact I hardly noticed if it was even there at all. The snow fell slowly, gently, vertically - like it would in your favorite Christmas fairy tale. I've always felt that cosy, cheerful feeling watching snow fall like that.


Writing this post also reminded me of that wonderful winter morning we had a few months back. There was frost everywhere and in the early morning it looked like the trees were covered with silver glitters. Later that day, it looked even more beautiful, as though the trees made of glowing, little glass pieces. Simply wonderful...


Thinking about it more, I think I would not take a picture after all - it simply won't do the experience justice. Luckily the human brain has enough synapses to store 10^15 bits - I think I'll use some of them to save those 3 beautiful snapshots of Calgary, my new home.

this coffee break @ 11:46 AM