Wintersong

Quote of the Day:  Wisdom comes with winters. - Oscar Wilde

I woke up to this wintery, crystalized scene at my parents' farm last weekend.  It reminds me that beauty comes with every season.

Top 10 things I like about Winter:
1. frost decorating everything outdoors
2. Sun dogs on the coldest days
3. ice-skating
4. using the cold as an excuse to stay inside to read
5. same excuse to watch movies & eat popcorn with my boys
6. the holidays
7. how the fresh, white snow covers everything, like wiping the slate clean for a fresh start.
8. Winter fashions, including cute sweaters and long pants and not needing to shave your legs
9. Watching the neighbors help each other out after a snowstorm
10. Music

Last night my oldest son and I went to the Madrigal Dinner put on by the high school choirs.  They served and sang, performed and played.  They had kings and queens, beggars and peasants.  Some of them stayed in character throughout the three hour evening.  The skit was fun and funny, the food delightful and delicious.  And, the singing was wonderful wintersong.  They sang my favorite choral winter piece, "Hark of the Bells."  I love how it starts out soft, just sopranos, then adds each part, building, then coming back down, and oh, how that low-note dong at the end always gives me shivers.

 What is broken and full of cobwebs can be beautiful with the coverings of ice crystals, a reflection of light, and a song that sends the kind of shivers that warm.

I'm looking forward to hearing the high school choir again in two weeks as they join their voices with my favorite choir, From Age to Age, in a holiday concert.  Stay tuned for details.

Journaling Prompt:  Make your list of top things to like about winter and/or the holidays.