Rain turns to snow overnight, and by morning there’s three inches or more. The sky is so low it reaches right down to the ground. Standing by the cows’ fence as their water trough fills, I watch the snow fall, and can just discern the plume of smoke rising from Peter’s house down across the pasture, on the other side of the big beaver lodge and then the mountain road. Smoke rising, snow falling, sky low. The cows nosing at the sweet hay I’ve thrown over the fence.
When the trough is full I walk up the hill into the woods just because I haven’t in a while. The ground is soft beneath the snow, though the snow makes it seem softer still. It sticks to the needled limbs of the conifers. The hardwoods are lean and bony and almost black against all that white. I follow my main skid road for a ways, then veer in an easterly direction across the gentle slope of the land. When I stop I can hear the snow falling, but so faintly it requires a certain faith to believe in what I’m hearing. Maybe it’s just a trick of the senses. But I don’t think so.
Later, I drive over the unplowed mountain road. It’s still snowing, and even in four wheel drive, the truck slips and lurches over and across the ruts and potholes and washboards. Last week I’d thought to have the winter tires swapped for summers, and now am pleased with myself for having had the foresight to wait, though in truth there’s been no cunning on my part. Just procrastination leading to inaction, one of those moments – and the older I get, the more frequently they seem to arise – when doing nothing was actually the smartest thing to do.
Ben Hewitt 
No pressure but you’re writing is in a particularly sweet spot these days. Lovely.
*your (mine is not in sweet spot). 😉
Thanks, Heather. Hope you’re doing great
Ben….This is poetry to me. I was mesmerized reading this. All three times. Thanks!
Thanks, Tom
Agree, you are in a sweetspot!! And at 40 I am similarly becoming an expert procrastinator. Life is good!
Nice! And you’re learning so young. Thanks for reading
Nice Ben. At 71, doing nothing is becoming a Way of Life…
Thanks, Jim. Hugs to you and Jean
On a busy day, being reminded of the sound of falling snow is a nice pause.
I’d be very happy to send it all your way;)
I prefer to think of it not as procrastination but as finally recognizing the reality of “Fake Spring” – the season between Winter and Real Spring when you still have to have the insulated boots and heavy jackets at the ready and hung up alongside the lighter sweatshirts and sun hats. Good thing I like variety. 🙂 Oh, and can’t forget Mud Season which seems to run concurrently with all of the above!
Oh yeah. We had almost 2 weeks of false spring, and now it’s payback time.
Snow here in a state south of you too. My son is unexpectedly driving in the snow for the first time. Who knew making plans on April 16th would involve this mama worry.
Thank you for your words. They are always something to hold on to.
Thanks, Melissa. There’s no anxiety like the one related to our kids and their cars.
reminiscent of E.B. White
Great blog youu have here