winter magic in upstate New York

One of my resolutions has been to take a picture a day in order to be more visually awake.
The following ode was inspired by my ever-burgeoning camera role.
This weekend has been utter heaven for me.
For whatever reason, I have loved the massive amounts of snow that have pummeled the Northeast
every single time I have walked outside.



My car has gotten stuck in the snow 6 different times in the last 24 hours,
I am afraid of finding a crack in my instrument every time I open my case
I am living in my wonderful wool-lined boots and skinny jeans (not my go-to pant choice of comfort),
I keep dressing for 2 different climates (summertime at the beach inside, a cryogenics lab outside),
my skin has turned reptilian thanks to that distinct absence of humidity in the radiators,
my hair is in a constant state of electricity and hat-hair,
I am religiously dowsing my immune system in daily doses Emergen-C
and washing my hands continuously so that I do not dare get sick.


And yet, I am so full of internal sunshine around every corner:

I love walking into a heated yoga class to warm up after freezing from scraping my car at 5:30am
I love the cold, sunny sparkles of sunshine through the trees, the orange glow of early morning sunrises,
 

the distorted, long shadows and golden glow the winter sun casts in the evening.



I love the communal feeling of fellow winter-sufferers among friends and strangers alike,


I love the glow of Valentine dinner parties and brunch with friends,

I love the excuse to leisurely browse and research at the library because work has been cancelled,

 

I love the aromas and nutrition of warm, healthy comfort food in winter vegetables,
cooking for myself and for dinner parties in my glorious aubergine beauty of a pot.


I love snuggling under the Eigenwärme of my sheep wool and alpaca blankets,
promoting homework productivity and good will towards stubborn and demanding professors.

I love waking up in a cocoon under my Federdecke, 

after discovering that I so much sleep better with the window cracked at night (don't tell my landlord!) 

 

I love the warm sunshine streaming through the windows
while the branches hang so low, heavy with snow. 


As much as I would love to live in California again,
I confess: I am a winter convert through and through
There is something about the intensity in the extremes of color, light and temperature
that makes me want to end up somewhere that gives me time in this fairy land at least once a year.

Rochester of all places has sold me on the magic of a good snow.

 

 all photos via my iphone