The Bleak Midwinter?

I'd heard the familiar carol my entire life, singing along with the lyrics about that ground hard as iron, water like a stone. I can still remember however, when I actually understood the song. I was sitting in my little apartment that first winter in Duluth, doing homework, and listening to the CD. "Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow." OH! It was an a-ha moment when the words became real to me for the first time.

In fact, as a dog owner in Minnesota, I discovered something very interesting about this snow-on-snow phenomenon. There's rarely a need to pooper scoop during the winter. By the time you get your scoop and trash sack, the pile you were going to clean up is gone. It's like magic! Well, until spring. It's not too magic then. I'll spare you the gory details.

This winter in North Carolina is beginning to remind me of Minnesota. The driveway that was cleared on Tuesday is now completely covered again. The wind has blown the snow into drifts against the fence.

The little paths I created to the birdfeeders are again obscured by snow, making me thankful for the sturdy snow boots I got in Duluth. I won them as a door prize the year I was a volunteer at the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. Those boots are almost 15 years old now, but as wonderful as the day I first pulled them on. I could trek anywhere in those boots.

Well, bleak though this winter may be, Lucy and Lady don't seem to mind it. Both of them enjoy going out in the snow. In fact, Lucy insists on it. She meows and meows and meows until I cave in. I open the door "ALL RIGHT ALREADY!!" and out she goes, stalking down the sidewalk with serious catitude. I send Lady out to supervise.

However, after Lucy has been outside for about 5 minutes, she begins lifting each paw up one at a time and shaking it clear of snow. The look on her face clearly reads: "Geesh, who made this snow so cold??" Then she wants to come in. RIGHT NOW.

So I move the draft stopper, rugs, and boots by the door to let her back in. She comes in complaining, like I did this to her. "I told you it was cold out there Lucy!" It takes her about 10 minutes to warm up, and then we start this cycle over again.

Even the garden cats look cold today.

Lucky is the smart one in the family. He prefers to stay warm and dry in his bed. Eat, sleep, only go outside if you have to.

"Wake me in the Spring!"