A Winter's Walk

"Rare snowfall, could leave parts of the South with a white Christmas", "Holiday travelers stranded at European airports", so goes the Christmas headlines!  Just for the record, this part of the South will not experience the "White Christmas", it is, however, a rather brisk morning! 

Remembering our Christmases at Fred's News, anticipation of a snowfall, especially at the holidays was always so wonderful for business!  Depending on the intensity of the storm, that too, good for the business.  Something about walking along the sidewalks,especially when you don't really have too, in the middle of a snowfall, that is extremely gratifying. Protecting yourself against the elements, look towards the heavens, listen.  One can almost hear the intricately designed little pieces of frozen water fall, ever so gently onto your exposed faces.  Absolutely, breathtaking!  If the opportunity to do they same is in the darkness of the night, the world, although frozen,takes on a much different landscape.  I can remember standing outside in the back of Fred's News, bundled up and gazing upward into the darkness, yet the gently falling snowflakes,lit up the heavens.  Stunningly beautiful!  If you listen, you can almost hear the sounds of nature, preparing themselves for winter's fury.  No birds flying overhead or singing the sweet sounds in the sun's warmth, just the eerily quiet night and the delicate snowflakes landing on frozen ground.  Those are the sounds of a cold snowy winter's night.

Do I miss that,emphatically no! Just the sweet, warm and comforting memories of life experiences are enough.  I do believe it is why I enjoy the late night drive in the solitude of darkness.  The expanse of the Florida sky, amazing.  This southern sky also very different as it evolves through the hours of the day and night. 

As people would quickly enter Fred's News, after their winter storm walk, I sensed they too had experienced that same exhilarating feeling.  Mr. Bill loves to sit and people watch, I never thought much about it, but thinking back to the multitude of expressions on the faces of Fred's News patrons, I believe people watching to be an art-form.  A perfect example: hurrying into the warmth of the restaurant, standing just inside the door, shaking the ice crystals from hats, mittens and scarves, then stomping your boots, removing what's left.  I didn't have to look at my children's faces, I could hear the groans and whispers..."why didn't they do that outside!" the often heard cries.  Yes, those were our floor washers!!