Winter Wonderland

            This Michigan/Iowa/Ohio/Missouri/Kansas woman has forgotten some things about snow.  A simple 1,200 step walk* to and from our mailbox reminded me of them:

1.  Remember to tuck your jeans into the top of your boots before you step outside.  I didn’t think of it until I had waded out a way.        
2. Wear an extra pair of socks.  Fortunately, I thought of this one before I headed out the door, donning the cozy bed socks Dana gave me for Christmas. 
3.  Don’t bother to wear your glasses.  Yes, my Transition lenses protect my eyes from the glare, but they also completely fogged up when I snuggled my nose underneath my coat collar.  I finally had to take them off to see. 
4.    Winter coat liner, gloves, hat, and hood are all important.  I remembered those and stayed warm.
5. Carry a plastic bag to put the mail in.  Though I hugged the bills, magazines, and catalogues close to me, they still ended up a little soggy.  (No way was I going to unzip my snazzy ski jacket to let the mail and snow in!)
6.  Pick up a handful of snow to see if it packs well.  It didn’t, so I bet the skiers are happy.  (Wearing a ski jacket is as close as I get to any winter sports.)
7. Enjoy the satisfying crunch of snow underfoot, not to mention the joy of being the first one to make tracks.   

     And here’s something I hadn’t forgotten and, in fact, had never seen before:  dangling spider webs frosted with snow.

*I did not count my steps today: I’d done that last summer.  And I didn’t even think to look for slugs.