Thursday, February 6, 2014

Cold Adventures

   I'll admit it. I've become a wimp. I've....aged. Or did I get smarter? I don't know, but I don't like cold. It's cold in Colorado again. January was down right balmy, comparatively. December? Not so much. That was snowy, colder than I care to remember two months later, but now February has joined the winter fun of making us freeze. Temperatures falling below zero at night. Wind chills threaten to freeze our skin solid.
   I don't think I'm the only one. I listen to the news reports of closing schools or delayed starts and I have to admit, I laugh.
   Why - back when I was young....wait a minute....is that my mother speaking? No, she always said, "We had to walk miles and miles all up hill both ways to school. During blizzards and sand storms." That's not what I was going to say. So way back when I was young...if it was cold, you wore long johns under your slacks, you put on snow pants, you stuck your feet into baggies and then slipped into your boots, you put on four layers of sweaters, a heavy coat, mittens (with strings that ran through your sleeves so you wouldn't lose them at school), wrapped your scarf sixteen times around your entire head and put a hat on. Only your eyes could peek out, but you had to blink a lot. Walking was a bit...stiff, but you could do it. That's how we went to school when temperatures reached 50 below with wind chills of a Minnesota winter.
   From the earliest days of my life, you just went out prepared.
Or we made them.
   So you got a few white spots on your cheeks from time to time. It felt so good to go back in the house and have your mom's warm hands set against those cold cheeks to defrost the frozen spots. They never fell off....much.
   So here I am now *ahem* a few years older, living in Colorado, where winter has never seemed long or especially difficult, but then again, it is.
   I watch the gals in the neighborhood go off on their winter hikes - without snowshoes!!! Oh the hardy bunch. Ron and I used to go out walking at night during heavy snows. One particular time we even experienced thunder snow. Walked to the park, dog tagging behind struggling to jump his way forward in the deep snow, Sorrel boots laced up tight, snow pants on, *BOOM* thunder cracked and echoed in the canyon. Weird. But cool.                                                                                     Seriously cool.
   Now I guess what I need to remember is that I can still survive if I'd just get out there. If you've read this blog at all, you know we love to four-wheel. We find some great adventures just hopping in the car and exploring the mountains.


 The sights to see, from a nice warm car, aren't too bad.
 



                        You just really never know what you might discover.


So it's a little cold....


Fun is just around another bend.













      Surprises just need to be sought after.

   I must be getting cabin fever. Pretty sure of it now after looking at our photos. It must be time to explore. Time's a'wasting! Schools cancelled for cold. Quick everyone, head for adventure. Let's get out and enjoy, even if it your nose feels like it'll fall off. Wrap another scarf around your head.
   I know I will.