Not A Fan of Winter (a haibun)
Destination: Warmth. I was never a fan of winter. Don’t get me wrong, I often enjoyed it in my youth. Sledding down the hills and skating the pond at Ottawa Park was always fun. Jeff, my friend and neighbor, would make his backyard into a small skating rink each winter. After a fresh snow, we would broom roadways through the snow, and then play tag with the temporary pathway restrictions. In our high school years, the sport of bumper hitching was a blast (and probably a little dangerous). The first snow fall of the season is something special, and just walking in fresh or falling snow by the light of the moon can be a surreal experience.
snow in the moonlight
the best aspect of winter
white tranquility
However, it’s the downside characteristics and the bitter cold that makes me dread winter. I grew up in northern Ohio, not far from the shores of Lake Erie, where we always seemed to get our fair share (or more) of winter. Shoveling walks and driveways, deicing car windows and locks, and just trying to stay warm never seemed like fun adventures to me. I also had a morning newspaper route, and school closings due to “snow days” hadn’t been invented yet. I eventually moved south, and left my snow shovel in Ohio. As a bona fide cold weather wimp, it was an act I’ve never regretted.
numbing artic blasts
beauty of first snow fades fast
dirty slush remains
——
Linked to dVerse – Haibun Monday –1/31/22: Winter, where Frank is hosting and asked us to write a haibun about winter.
I went to CWRU as an undergrad, Ron… I remember the icy winters not so fondly, not to mention all the cracked streets in Cleveland due to the weather…
<3
David
P.S. only 2 haiku this time? I’m disappointed! 😉
CWRU was on my short list, but I went to engineering school at U of Cincinnati
What a small world! My son went to CWRU. I took him to a campus tour of Clarkson in Potsdam, NY. As we walked across the quad — in March — there were 10 ft. snow banks. When he heard that he would be walking that route from the dorm he said, “I don’t think so, Dad.”
He was right 🤣
I’m an Indiana transplant, but grew up on a windswept Illinois farm. I agree with everything you’ve said ! We have a winter weather warning for mid-week with about 4 inches of beauty forthcoming!
Stay warm
Winters may fade; most good memories don’t. Nice work, OtherRon.
Thanks Ron
A remarkably charming read, with wonderful use of haiku for transition. I’ve never really mastered the autobiographical prose-poetry, but you seem to have quite a grasp on it yourself!
Thank you Masa
As a lifetime New Englander, I couldn’t disagree with you more. Even in my sixties, the hush of new snow, an invigorating clearing of my driveway (now taken in segmented bursts), and the cozy ‘lockdown but safe’ events from storms, are a delight. Coffee and cocoa never taste better, and cheeks are never rosier than in winter. I love it! <3
To each their own.
Beautiful tribute to Ohio !! We are getting ready for another BIG storm like the Blizzard of 1978
Throw another log on the fire Peggy.
Two sides of the winter coin. Wrll written Ron.
Thanks Rob
Such a tug-o-war haibun exposing the two realities! Great write Ron!
I’m old enough to remember when snow days hadn’t been invented yet as well. It’s fun when you’re young. (K)
Here in Georgia, the whole state shuts down for a 1/2 inch of snow.
I believe it.
I believe it. All context.
You made me think of the song, “I left my heart in San Francisco,” with new lyrics:
“I…left my snow shovel in Ohio.” Beautiful haibun.
I’m sorry, but the new lyrics don’t seem to have the same ring to it, but maybe Tony could make it work.
🙂
Winter definitely has its challenges, especially up North. Our winters here in NC are fairly mild, although we had snow the last two weekends and temps in the 20s at night.
We’ve got family in NC, and so we track your weather. You usually get our weather about a half-day after it passes through Atlanta.
Yes, we get all your residual weather! :>)
Fun images — I grew up in northern Ohio too, lived in Japan, travelled to Wales etc — so it seems we share much in common. But, I’ve never flipped a house and only watched others do genealogies. Rather than my family history, I tend to be interested more in our Galaxy’s evolution! 🙂 But then, you worked on Hubble — a very broad life, you’ve had.
Yes, we seem to have many common interests and adventures. And yes, I’ve been blessed with a broad life, or as I call it “dabbling in as many areas as possible to keep my energy level high (aka – to not get bored)”
Love the two sides of the same season. I would love to watch it snow but I don’t think I’d be able to live it beyond a couple of days.
You got that right Punam. I enjoy the first 24 hours, but after that, I’m done.
👍🏼
Every time I drive from Missouri to visit family in Cleveland & Buffalo, I drive along the lake on I-90. It’s always a roll of the dice in winter, with lake effect snow hitting northern Ohio, Erie & on to Buffalo.
I lived at the Toledo end of the lake, so we never experienced lake effect snow first hand (except the occasional change in wind direction).
“numbing arctic blasts
beauty of first snow fades fast
”
Wondrous! 🙂
Snow is fun when you don’t have to get anywhere (especially in the UK where we are hopeless at coping with it!). I can totally understand why you abandoned your snow shovel Ron.
I didn’t “abandon” it —- it was a gift to the poor slobs left behind. 😉
I don’t mind the cold, but the darkness is hard to bear
this resonates deeply ROn … I spent a few miserably cold winters in the Himalayas and couldn’t wait to get home to more temperate climates!