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Not sure what to title a post that only contains a poem I read on another blog and loved so much I wanted to share it here.

The Snow Man
One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;

And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter

Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,

Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place

For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

Wallace Stevens (1923)

First snow.

So.

It snowed here last night. Not enough to accumulate, but it left a dusting on all the surfaces with a northern exposure. Like the roof outside my office window.

Now don't get me wrong. I love snow. And cold weather. And warm coats and wool sweaters and boots that keep your toes toasty. I love snow glare and the way the air smells when the temperature drops. I pride myself on never saying in a disdainful way, "It's cold outside! I'm cold!" Bring it on, I say.

But for some reason, the sight of the snow on the roof outside my window this morning dampened my spirits in a way it never has before. In a moment of self pity, I regretted the months of cold weather and snow ahead of us. In that moment, I longed for a hot summer day. And then I felt guilt for it because Any Season But Summer has ALWAYS been my favorite season.

On a happier note, S and I are going to be going away the first weekend of December. We're having a weekend retreat to Cleveland with C and C - our Pittsburgh Pals.

Am thinking we should hit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And some vintage shops (because it's been FOREVER since my last Thrifty Thursday post). Is there anything else that is a 'must do' when in Cleveland?

Aside from THIS, that is.

Because, honestly, I'd rather see the A Christmas Story house than the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.