Thinking of influential snowmen in my life, I'm reminded of The Snow Man by Wallace Stevens, which beautifully perceives winter without judgement.

The Snow Man​
​Wallace Stevens (1879-1955)​
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One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;
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And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter
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Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,
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Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place
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For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

Growing up in Lake Tahoe, winter landscapes have always felt magical and inviting. It didn't occur to me until well into adulthood that some see winter as a dangerous and uninviting cold. I love how Stevens describes the "listener, who listens in the snow" and the magic they discover.

How do you feel about snow, ice and the cold?

This seal dates back most likely to the 1700s and came from an aristocratic family in the Netherlands. It is a minimalist/maximalist design with everything refined in cool whites, creams and gold. Though it looks simple enough, it requires three different waxes and presses as well as very steady painting. The little buck with his antlers reminds me of the holidays and the tree with its fruit reminds me of feast times. I hope you feel the long history of the holidays and the deep connection to those you love.

Kay

(Kathryn Hastings)