Frosty Morning

Garden gate in winter

Most of the snow came on Christmas Eve, and some the next day, but on Monday morning we were greeted by the sight of this - do I dare say it? - winter wonderland.  Frost covered every tree and bush and almost every building.   Winter is my least favorite season, but I have to admit there is a sort of rough beauty to it, especially on a frosty morning.

The other morning I woke up with a song going through my head and knew it was about time to put away the Christmas CD's. Does that ever happen to you?  It wouldn't have been quite so annoying if it had been one of my favorites: "What Child is This?" which my mother loved because it is set to the tune of her beloved "Greensleeves," or the "Carol of the Bells" which was performed so beautifully by the church choir on Christmas Eve.  No, it was none of these heavenly sounds which awakened me, but rather,  the raucous strains of:

"Just hear those sleigh bells jingling
Ring ting tingling too.
Come on, it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you."

Now I hope you don't think of me as  some kind of Grinch. I really have nothing against this song, it is a lovely sentiment and sleigh rides can be cozy and romantic - a great activity in winter. But it isn't one of my favorites, and not something I really associate with Christmas carols, and certainly not something I want running through my mind at six o'clock in the morning.  I don't even remember it specifically being on any of our Christmas CD's, though it probably is,  as it does appear in 9 out of 10 Christmas collections. Whenever I had heard it this year, it seems to have planted itself firmly in my brain and I will have to work very hard to get it out of there.  Eventually it will be replaced by something equally annoying.  Maybe I will just hibernate the rest of the winter and hope for an early spring. 


I hope that wherever you are, you can find some beauty in this day and that your heart is filled with joyful music.