The first real snowfall of the year always takes me back to my childhood and the anticipation of waking up with everything transformed into shades of white. Ralph Gregory in his book referenced above reflects on a first snow of the season while growing up.

"Snowflakes"

I remember waking one Winter morning in that bed (his grandfather's bed...Dan's words) and looking out the small window and seeing the first snow of Winter. It was a big one. Evidently, in the night the snow fell long and light. The snow was several inches deep on tops of fence posts. Near and far a white white world it was.

A little patch of snow was on my bed. It was on the thick cover where my feet were under. It had come through a crack in the window frame. That the snow had not melted shows how cold the room was. I left the warm bed eager to get into the world of snow. I gathered my clothes in my arms and hurried downstairs to dress by the kitchen stove. Some of my cousins, younger than I, were excitedly talking and looking out the south window.

The memory now makes me think of Whittier's poem ""Snow Bound"". ""When the morning sunlight shown, We looked upon a world unknown, on nothing we could call our own."" Yet the poem was not true for us then. The fences and buildings, trees and fields, woodpile and wagon and more were ours, though wonderfully covered with the white stuff. The cows and horses and mules were in the barn. The hounds and chickens were in their houses. The hounds no doubt curled head to nose. The chickens could not get out. Their low door was blocked by the snow. "

In Southern Indiana we have not had our first substantial snow of the season as yet...but when that day comes you can count on me...outside in the quiet of the falling snow...listening and breathing deep the the winter chill. The excitement will keep me warm.

Tomorrow...a hot breakfast and then out to the snow for some fun.