Winter had descended on the small town in question and it was cold as ice. There were no people on the sidewalks, no cars, even the snow on the streets appeared to be thick and untouched. The banks of the roads were lined with the barks of trees, which were stiff as if they had been frozen while standing fully bare. This was a time when the days had become extremely compressed, and the sun would appear for a very short time before it disappeared back in the depths of the cold. But still it went on; the bitter strife of frosts and snows yet to come, defying all comprehension of the present world and all laws of reason. The people have become wiser; they focused on the fire, the warmth emanating from the fireplace at the interior of their houses. Chimneys emitted warm flames from burning firewood and beams fell on engulfed families enjoying their time. The drink that remained popular was hot cocoa consumed within mugs held between cold fingers while the stories were being told around the fire. Kitchens had the smell of the cinnamon and freshly baked bread, familiar and warm. Outside, children dressed in layers of warm woolen clothes, made snowmen and snow forts and one could hear them laugh in the cold. A pond that was frozen at the outskirts of the town turned to be an active place with children skating and even practicing hockey till the sun went down causing darkness and hence getting toned by the shining stars on the snow clad hills. But winter also pulled back the business of mind—of school—a time to regroup. Late evenings were diametrically passed in bedrooms with the warmth of blankets, followed by either reading books or just being quiet. The snow and ice, the cold, the snow and ice again – these had the power to make one search for introspection in the middle of the desert of winter. All was about contrasting (the cold season of winter with the heat that comes from togetherness, the black clothes against the light within). It was somewhat bitter, but being bitter had its own sort of grace, forcing the characters to wait and endure while giving them moments of happiness in a world hidden beneath winter’s blanket. Even as days went on, the youth grew blander and the snow even bigger, the occurrences in the town went on. The tempo of life was reduced in compliance to the mood of the season. Grove, Snowbound days were spent clearing cars from snow, while at evening and night-time, the task was to producing salt on the icy roads. Among the things that happened, people assisted their neighbors without waiting to be told to do so — moving a car that had gotten stuck, bringing groceries to elderly neighbors, and more importantly, smiling behind their scarf-covered mouth while breathing out in the cold. For me, the feeling of togetherness intensified even when the weather was getting colder,… In the interiors, families embraced the practicing of the season’s rituals. He sat for some moments before a window illuminated by candles, all snug and bright upon the blackness of the night. Children cocooned themselves with blankets and videos, and played games and chatted into the wee hours of the morning. Ordinary things that people took for granted in their everyday lives seemed like luxuries – hot tea, fresh bread, a fire in the fireplace. At night people didn’t talk much – the wind might be roaring outside or there might be just the click of the clocks, but it was safe. Beyond, there were the frozen-Outside-prospectages of a frozen fry cook’s more self-active winter. The trees which are laden with snow seemed so beautiful when the light from the full moon was falling on them and as a result of this it was casting its shadow on the wet ground. Sometimes northern lights lit the sky softly giving everybody a chance to admire that nature can be an artist, too. Dress and animals also invaded—deer came out in the open looking for food in the green belt that surrounded the town while birds flew from one tree to another in search of food docketed in feeders placed by caring citizens. Finally, people started perceiving some fine differences as winter seemed to go on and on. As the days passed the State received a few rays of sunshine and began to warm up a slight bit. There were some signs of spring around but winter seemed still very much in control, at least for the moment. Until then, there was winter: battles with cold and one’s own body, joy and laughter. It was a season that made everyone understand that there was always hope, and strength in waiting, and happiness in the dreary winter.

During the winter, the town began to reach the pattern which accepted the snow and ice as normal images of the daily routine. Those routines also began to be soothing, due to their methods and structures that have turned into rather stereotyped. Every morning started with the phenomenon in which window patterns of frost are displayed like lace. Individuals were wrapped in warm clothes, and were walking through snow, with puffs of smoke emitting from their mouths, while going on errands. Despite the numbing sensation that was creeping into the skin, there was passion, energy, and focus in each step—something which was an indication that it was time to fight off the last few inches of winter. At night the outside world continued to be still, or merely there was a sound of snow-laden branches’ cracking. Inside homes, there was the comfort in shared meals and basic conversations. Moreover, there were leftovers, sauces boiling on the stove, bread dough fermenting near the oven, various spices remained in the air. These rituals were a comfort to families, and the continual shoveling gave the impression of a routine at a time when life was nothing but freezing cold. Young ones, who had not yet outgrown a need for fun, made out of snow days great day trips. They tried to construct the leading snowmen, their mittens being wet with snow from different games all the time. Sledding hills continue to be popular, giggles can be heard even when they are frozen to the bone and sliding down hills. As the days passed and became shorter, their spirits could not be damped as they relished in all affairs to do with the winter. For others, winter was a time when people locked themselves indoors and gave much thought to whatever mattered to them. The extended periods of darkness of the winter night allowed for brief periods of proper introspection. People were sitting in front of their windows looking at the continuous falling of snow and day dreaming. The opposite situation allowed a certain limpidness, which was missing in other years. Some engaged in writing diaries or started playing their forgotten passion like painting, knitting, reading books which were never opened for ages. Everyone had to sit back and pause for a while because that is what the season demands. But hints of change had been floated.