winter afternoon

Not every post I make is going to be about the aftereffects of my cancer battle and disability. I'm sure some of you reading along are glad to hear that.

Yesterday I was driving home from work at about 4:00 in the afternoon. Much though winter seems harder to get through as I get older, I have to admit I find it beautiful, at least from the warm interior of my car. The trees were still covered with that thick white snow on their branches that looks like frosting. It was a partly sunny day and the sun was out when I was driving the first part of the way. I love the way the shadows are long and bluey-purple this time of year even when it isn't that late in the day and the sun has this golden slant to it. In the farm country that I drive through in Dryden everything seems so peaceful and silent on these winter afternoons when the fields and the hills around them are covered with snow and long shadows.

When I got home there was a package in the mail. Some books I had ordered for myself to see me through the winter (and probably the following summer too - I have quite a little pile of books to read right now). One book was a book of poems by Mary Oliver called "Thirst". I love Mary Oliver. I think one of the best gifts anyone could give themselves is a book of poetry by a poet they love.

Here is a piece of one of the poems in that book called "Walking Home from Oak-Head"

There is something
about the snow-laden sky
in winter
in the late afternoon

That brings to the heart elation
and the lovely meaninglessness
of time.
Whenever I get home--whenever--

somebody loves me there.