Winter Wonder

As I drove home from work yesterday evening, I was treated to a sundog in the sky to the west. As always when I see a sundog, I marveled at it, thought how beautiful it was and how it has to be really cold for one to show itself.

A few blocks later, after turning east, I passed an SUV going the other way. The mom, who was driving, was pointing out the sundog to her child who was in a safety seat in the back. It was a cool moment, seeing her do for her son or daughter what I’ve done many times for mine.

Then, last night around 8:30 when I dragged the garbage bin out to the curb, it’s wheels complaining cantankerously, I noticed how clear the sky was and how pretty the stars. There was my buddy, Orion, hanging in the southwestern sky. Hadn’t seen him in a long time. Said hello.

I know one can see Orion any time of year, but for some reason on the very coldest of nights, when there are no clouds, it seems like the sky is much more crisp and the stars much more clear.

Later still I crawled under the heavy comforter and faded off to sleep, musing on how, while we gripe about the cold and snow all the time, winter truly can be wondrous.