by Kristin Nador/@KristinNador
Living in Oklahoma is a climatic crap shoot. The weather fluctuates to extremes week-to-week, day-to-day, and sometimes within the same day. You’ve heard the saying ‘Don’t like the weather? Wait around for an hour…’ That’s Oklahoma. We’ve had 24-hour periods in January and February go from the 30′s to the 70′s and back again.
This winter has been a dry one, and we continue to suffer drought conditions, so news this week of precipitation arriving was welcome. The temperature ping-ponged and we bounced from drizzle to rain to sleet to snow to freezing rain to flurries.
An errand that couldn’t wait got me out in the snow. I dread driving in winter weather most of the time, but during the time period I was out fat fluffy flakes filled the sky. (Try saying that three times fast!) A stand of trees that I normally pass by without thought got my attention in the snow, and before I knew it I turned down an unknown street and found myself in the perfect spot for a quick winter wonderland writing session.
Write Anywhere #59: Snow Storm
snowy day
I turned off the car and rolled down the window, listening to the snowflakes. They brushed the earth with a soft sweeping.
Creaking tree branches, heavy with ice and snow, drooped with the burden. The air tasted fresh and cold, and I watched my breath form little clouds.
spotted through the snowfall
A run-of-the-mill suburban neighborhood sat on one side of the street and on the other a winter still life. The snow revealed hidden treasures:
snowy field
winter meditation
I took in the landscape, got out my pen and notebook, and wrote what the scene stirred up inside me.
A quiet winter meditation among the snowflakes warmed me up to creativity.
Make a habit to grab creative moments when you can, and they will begin finding their way to you.
This week I didn’t venture too far to write but I did vary my regular routine. Instead of going to my office which can be cold because of the big window I wrote in the family room in front of the fire with my little dog and a big soft throw.. I think I’m going to do it tomorrow too. I love your winter landscape photos and I think it’s very cool you pulled over, took time to take it in, and wrote.
Writing in front of a fire sounds delightful. I’ll definitely have to try it sometime.
Beautiful pictures! I can see that snow would be mesmerizing. But to sit in a cold car and write — I don’t know. Thanks for sharing it all tho. We didn’t get any snow down here in Texas.
Lovely photos! Glad you stopped to enjoy the beauty of the moment. Me, I always write with the laptop on my dining room table. At least I have some remaining Valentine’s flowers to look at!
I can see why those scenes sparked your creativity – “seeing things in a whole new light” got literal. Love the snow-drenched left-behind object in the photos.
Beautiful pictures!