It is the penultimate day of February.  It is grey and damp, slush is falling from the sky, and my right boot has a significant leak.  All this sounds like I am complaining, and I could be.  I will completely admit that I am challenged to keep my spirits and energy up through winter and not hit the wall of dispare in February.

Despite all of the potential for complaining, today is an oddly beautiful day.  The wet snow falling has a very soothing sound.  It is fascinating to watch as it falls and sticks to surfaces, then slowly slips off to create a different rhythm.  The snow melt shapes rivers in the slush making strange patterns that are impossible to capture.  There is a stark juxtaposition of the blackness of the trees against the indistinct mass of the land and sky.  Then there are the huge slush puddles.  Nothing splashes like slush.  Anyone who has been splashed by a passing car in the winter knows this as fact.  It doesn’t have to be all negative though.  Winter boots, because they are usually bigger in dimension then your regular footwear, are fabulous for slush jumping.  If I was more inclined to enjoy the shock of cold slush down the back of my neck, a slush puddle fight might be fun.  My favourite thing to do is stomping through the slush.  I am sure I look like a crazy woman, stomping and giggling as I watch the slush arc away from my descending feet, but why give up the joy.  The leak in my boot even encourages this behaviour.  My foot is already soaked from walking, I might as well make it fun.