I love snow. At least I love the kind that has big fluffy flakes and is fun to walk in. Fun snow has a delightful crunch under the feet and does not bring with it unbearably cold temps.
In Grades 4-6, I lived in Canada and loved the snow. I played in the snow, skated in the snow, and walked to and from school in the snow.
I had all the gear needed, including the warmest pair of boots. Leather-looking on the outside, thick and fuzzy on the inside, with a fantastically cool beaded fringe trim around the top of the boot. I was stylin’, let me tell you. I loved those boots. They kept my toes toasty warm so I could play outside for hours.
Snow is not unusual in Oregon, especially in the Central, Eastern, and Southern portions of our fair state. Here on the coast, however, we only get a decent snow day around here every few years. Over the past week, my weather app couldn’t decide what would happen. I would check it each day and it would say something different. It kept me in suspense.
On Thursday morning, I saw posts from my old stomping grounds about 4 hours north and the snow they woke up to covered them in a beautiful, thick layer of snow.
Then my nephew, who lives about half an hour away and inland, texted me to show me his snowy white view. Then it was finally my turn!
First, we had hail, then small icy particles, and soon that lovely hush you experience as snow falls and gently lands on the ground, and STICKS!
It got thicker and thicker and whiter and whiter, so I told Mochi, let’s go! I knew I would be so disappointed if we delayed and it all melted before we got out and enjoyed it.
It. Was. Marvelous. Mochi and I wandered around the big field behind our home, down the road through our community, and behind our local church where I knew we would find HUGE evergreen trees covered in layers of snow.
And of course, I took many photos, probably too many… never mind, can’t take too many right ;).
We must have walked, wandered, pictured, and explored for over an hour. It was Mochi’s first experience with snow and once she got used to it; she seemed to love it. You can see some pics below and over here on Instagram.
The Gift and Beauty of a Snow Day
Well, okay, Snow Day is being generous. Let’s call it a snow morning. Sadly, it had mostly melted by mid-afternoon. But what a gift it felt to me. I was grinning during most of our walk and I reveled in the beauty all around.
It’s been a tough February, physically and mentally. The words, frazzled and exhausted, have come up more than once. The accumulation of stress was taking its toll on me personally, in my business, my health, and in caring for my Mom.
So getting a gift of a day, a walk, and an experience like this was an extra special treat.
There is healing in beauty and there is healing in spending time outside. There is healing that takes place as we walk in wonder and awe as snow falls and decorates the landscape. This was my opportunity to set everything aside and enjoy this moment in time.
This Mochi and Marta Snow Adventure was a balm for tired, frazzled, and frayed nerves.
This same thing happened back in February 2019, too! Click here to read “What a Snow Day Taught Me About Resting and Slowing Down” during our last big snow dump. This year’s snowy event taught me these same lessons and more.
Do you have any fun snow day memories?
What events have you experienced that taught you to rest, slow down, and savor the moment?
Marta Goertzen is an entrepreneur, writer, WordPress Website developer, and nature photographer. She daily explores the trails and beaches of the South Central Oregon Coast with her dogs Oliver & Mochi. You can follow along on their adventures on Instagram. Marta also fully believes that change starts with gratitude and that gratitude can change everything. Find out how with the “Grateful Friday 7-Days of Gratitude Starter Kit”