If I'm being honest, winter is far from my favourite season. I love that first magical snow, and then it quickly gets less and less exciting. It gets too dark too early, I can't stand when my socks slip down in my boots, my glasses fog up every time I walk into a building and there comes a point during the winter months when you just don't think you'll ever have warm hands again. All this to say, there is something about the winter at Kintail that just makes it better.
I remember a few years ago my sister told me she had decided to embrace winter. Just take every day and every winter activity opportunity and let herself have FUN. Embrace the foggy glasses, embrace the soggy snow pants, really just intentionally enjoy it. I couldn't see myself doing that anytime soon, but it turns out that when you hear someone you admire say something, it will stick with you.
I found myself taking that mindset into the winter here last summer, my first winter living on site. Yes, my feet were cold, but I got to pull out the coziest socks I could find. Yes, my glasses fogged up constantly, but I got to enjoy countless winter campfires. Yes, it got dark way too soon, but I got to fall in love with the later sunrise every morning walking to the Lodge. There are so much beauty to winter if you are able to look past the cold and darkness.
I've always liked winter activities, I grew up skiing and skating, I loved tobogganing and building forts. And last winter I got to return to that. I loved leading snowshoe walks around camp, walking Toby in the snow, and wow does that dog love the snow. And I got to see the amazing way the lake survives the winter season, those winter sunsets and the calm and quiet of the winter lake.
I hope you go into this winter ready to embrace all that this magical season has to offer, and continue to enjoy the beauty of nature and creation during this season.
-Snail
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