Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Tuesday, 10 October 2006 - Winter in October

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for winter in October.

Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius.

~Pietro Aretino

I awaken to a dreary gray morning. Sometime between midnight and now, a winter storm visited the neighborhood, leaving in its wake a thick frosting of snow and ice over the autumn landscape.

Just a few days ago, I marvelled over the lively fall palette of yellow, gold and rust. Now, the world lies quietly beneath a fragile layer of fresh paint in wintry shades of white, gray and black.

Brrrr. It's really quite cold for someone used to moderate to warm temperatures. On Saturday, when we climbed in Red Rock Canyon, the temperature peaked at 80 degrees F. My blood hasn't had time to thicken and, after a summer of rock climbing and hiking and green salads, my fat reserves are at an all time low. So, to keep warm during our morning walk in the park, I must wear 3-4 layers of clothes.

T relishes the colder weather. He's been shedding like crazy the past few weeks - a sign that he's getting ready to grow a dense winter coat. I'm surprised at his energy level and spunk this morning. To ensure I don't leave the house without him, he follows me around the bedroom like a shadow, his tail wagging like a metronome as he watches my every move. I'm still trying to decide what to wear. I think I'll break-in the Teva winter boots I won in a recent eBay auction.

Finally, I'm ready. T sits obediently by the front door as I pull the choke collar over his head and attach the lead to the large ring. I don my hat, sunglasses and gloves. A blast of cold air greets me as I open the door. T pauses for a moment on the porch before leading me down the driveway to the sidewalk. We're on our way.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.


Photo: T surveys his snowy backyard.

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