On the eve before a winter storm I am making a peppermint tea and thinking back to a night just like this years ago.  The snow had begun to fall, topping the tips of the tree branches creating the appearance of a powdered white coat of fresh crystal .    It was February and the holidays had long past however I always managed to feel the “magic” of a wintry night. 

 There is something so enchanting about being walked home by someone who you are completely enamored with, as little frosty flakes fly around creating a whimsical path along the way just for us.  That moment in time will be with me always as one of the most romantic walks.  There were people around us and the usual area traffic but I only recall the sound of laughter, slips and slides through the icy streets, fingers entwined and the twinkling of sparkles on the trees.  It was a perfect scene out of a story book;  the crisp crunch sound under our feet as we glided through the snow.   We spoke to each other,  the cold night was evident,  but this night… this wintry evening with all the snowflakes falling ever so gently  had me under a spell … I remember feeling as though we were all alone on this walk… surrounded by the illuminating trees, and whispering winds. 

 Snow and I have an understanding.  As long as there are February evenings where snow makes its way into the city , I will always be grateful for the sense of wonder that comes with a Winters Eve.  The air becomes crisp and I just know… that something wonderful is on its way… ” I smell snow”. … it’s exciting and it takes me back to that one night…

 Re creating a feeling as powerful as the one I felt that night brought me right back to a time when life was a little less complicated, when time was not ticking quite as rapidly and when the simple act of a walk home in the snow was a gift specially wrapped for us.  The painting only has a first coat as I need to add the details just as I remember them but I wanted to share my memory as it unravelled into one of the most romantic evenings in the snow.

We don’t have to allow our innocence to slip away; we tend to get caught up in the stress of every day life and we all experience disappointments, sadness and stress, even the anticipation of a winters eve if allowed will become a heavy burden as we think about shovels and digging out our cars.  We change, as we grow we tend to look at life as a hurdle and we don’t take more time to appreciate what’s coming….. snow… and the quiet that comes once it has fallen creating a picturesque canvas for all of us to take in.   On the eve before another wintry February day, I want to feel the purity and innocence of a snow fall; I want to look up at the sky and allow the wet crystals to kiss my face and I so want to feel the way I did long ago on that walk home…hand in hand in the snow.

Tree tops tipping over, covered in snow, frosty noses, hearts entwined and icicles forming on window panes … a winters past , this painting represents my Winters Tale.  

Until we meet again,  Katerini

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