9th circle of hell | Wander Woman

Dante’s Ninth Circle of Hell – a lake of ice

My winter wonderland

When I moved from Florida to Ohio as a young bride I had no concept of “cold”.

I believed:

That snow is pretty, white and fluffy – when in fact snow is also wet, cold, slushy & gets dirty
That winter fashions in magazines are beautiful leather, wool, plaids, boots, sweaters, overcoats, scarves, socks & boots – when in fact, by the time I bundled up to be warm enough to survive, I couldn’t fit behind the steering wheel of my VW Beetle;
That ice filigreed trees, snow-covered walks, icicles, frozen lakes and rivers are picturesque – when in fact I slid on the ice and fell on my ass every time I walked out the front door;
That the cold air is crisp and invigorating – when in fact it burns your skin, covers your face in snot, chaps your lips and generally makes you look ugly;
That children are adorable in their snowshoes and mittens – when in fact, by the time you get them stuffed into their snow pants, zippered into their winter jackets and shoved into their boots and mittens, they have to pee;
That our home would look like a Currier and Ives print with sunny blue skies and pristine snowfall – when in fact, after Christmas there are still three months of dark, dreary days until Spring.

I spent 11 winters dreaming of moving home to Florida and have spent the past 30 years enjoying sunny, warm winters. Why am I now planning to spend a month between Thanksgiving and Christmas in the northern woods of Michigan and hoping for snow?

I’m retired and have a cute little cottage on the shores of Lake Huron where I can retreat and do nothing but the things I want, no responsibilities or schedules. If it’s bright and sunny maybe we’ll go snowshoeing; if it’s miserable maybe I’ll set up my sewing machine in the kitchen & quilt or maybe I’ll sit in front of the fireplace and read until I get tired enough to shift to the sofa for a nap. On clear days we’ll put on our weatherproof boots and walk along the shore of the lake taking pictures of the frozen fractals.