Street Light – First Snow
First real snow of winter — always a big event in the skier’s life.
Throughout the years, I’d celebrated the new white landscape by taking a quiet walk. Leaving a fresh tread, sometimes with glowing autumn leaves photoluminesing the interior of my footprints like the ground was wired for light. I’d ski, too.
We had a child. He took to skiing. More, actually. The boy loved skiing; his life dance.
Once, when the youngster was eight years old, first snow came in the early evening dark. We’d eaten a quiet dinner. I’d seen clouds earlier, so I took a hopeful glance out the curtains.
Sure thing, large wet pancake snowflakes were lofting down, nesting on the fundament like so many tiny halibut.
“Let’s go check this out!”
Out our front door a street lamp glowed a circle of white plastered asphalt. Standing underneath, you could tilt your head back and gaze though a cone of swirling illuminated flakes. They were scifi brilliant — popping out of the inky dark above the light and leaving tails like so many comets. A swirling riot of yellow white on black, as when the spaceship busts to warp speed and the stars blast by leaving after-trails as arcing embers.
Under the light, with our necks kinked skyward, we danced a circle to the slow rhythm of nature. The big wet sloppy flakes whacked our cheeks and fell softly on greedy tongues. A damp, earthy scent rose from the still warm street, like it was raining, only colder. The occasional car passed by, quietly crunching their tires on a good inch of white.
Laughing and smiling like two kids instead of one, we returned inside. Without a word between us, we knew only one thing mattered for the next day.
IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE VIEWING SITE, TRY WHITELISTING IN YOUR ADBLOCKER, OTHERWISE PLEASE CONTACT US USING MENU ABOVE, OR FACEBOOK.
Comments
13 Responses to “Street Light – First Snow”
Wonderfully written. Waiting for the first snowfall at my house in Salt Lake. The mountains are getting it though. Thanks.
It’s a magical world, Hobbes, ol’ buddy. . . let’s go exploring!
This is great Lou!
Sweet memories . . . “The boy loved skiing; his life dance” . . . yep, west coast, waiting, wondering, Tahoe just getting teased.
Yes! Joy unspeakable as those flakes pile up!!
Lou , That was beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes..I miss the snow!!!!
Nice, Lou. What a gift, our kids and this sport we love.
Just skinned up on 2′ of fresh on Donner Summit yesterday.
niiiice!
Beautiful writing.
Nice Lou.
Yesterday during lunch (my employer, luckily, is located at the edge of the Wasatch), I ran up Mt. Wire, something I do 3-4 times a week. It’s always a welcome break from work, but yesterday was much better than usual, I got caught in a raging, sideways blizzard just below the summit. Sadly, as I descended back to work the snow changed to rain. Oh well, getting blasted with snow for a few minutes left me happy and grinning the rest of the day. My boss thought I was sick.
The first snow of the year is always memorable and something we remember at all ages. Enjoyed reading about your experiences and family.
Nice writing! Enjoyed the read.
Great prose, with subject matter close to my heart. My children and the snow.
Most enjoyable.