Yellow Snow Syndrome

Winter on top of the holler can be a beautiful sight. Snow clinging to seemingly every limb, cardinals hopping from twig to twig in hopes of finding a savory snack, and the thought of the world around me resting to prepare for a fresh beginning. Hickory and Oak trees bowing out to allow us a better view of the crystal coated branches of the Pine and Cedar, and crisp clear water fighting to trickle past the snowcapped stones in the small stream winding its way through the woods. Sounds almost magical, doesn't it?

Coexisting with all that wonderous delight is the greenhouse full of empty pots silently awaiting an early spring, begging for sunshine, warmer temperatures, and the aroma of fresh potting soil and fertilizer. The half-acre patch of dirt that was plowed last fall for a fresh garden spot lies hidden beneath the cover of winter, and memories of purple irises and yellow daffodils are tucked away beneath the cold white blanket of the darkest season. Some refer to it as the Winter Blues, but it feels like yellow snow syndrome would be a slightly better description. For the farmers, animals still need fed and water troughs still need busted loose, and there is no doubt at least a few hardheaded fertile farm critters who insist on giving birth on the coldest day of the year. Maybe winter is simply the season of black magic, set in place to maintain balance and ensure we fully appreciate the beauty of new life in the spring, fireflies in the summer, and the changing leaves and rut charged deer of the fall.

Winter allows us to fall into the temptation of a second pot of coffee to delay those chilling morning chores, prolongs projects we were meaning to finish up before it got too cold, and often sets people into a gloomy, mopey kind of mood, but it shouldn't. Take a breath from the busy hustle of the other three seasons. The world outside is showing us we need a reset. Yes, we all have responsibilities and chores, and those do need tended to. There are times we just want to go sledding, build snowmen with the littles, or just get the 4 wheelers out for some powder slinging fun. All that is welcome and fine, but there is also comfort to be found in curling up in your favorite spot with a cup of hot coffee, a warm blanket and diving into a well written novel or zoning out on an attention-grabbing movie. For some, joy is found simply in breaking out the cleaning kits, tearing down their prized pistols, and making them shine like new. There is something out there for each of us, designed specifically for our needs, to pull us through to the brighter days of a lively spring.

Here's to hoping we all survive this reset in the most pleasant way possible.