The Sun…

I’m feeling the cold. When I go outside I feel it gnawing at my bones and the sinew that hold those bones together. It’s not a pleasant feeling but one that comes with living in a part of that world that tilts annoyingly away from the sun for a good portion of the year. The one benefit of where we live is that that very sun sits in a brilliant blue sky free of cloud overtop a dull gray landscape. It penetrates the darkest room bouncing it’s way into every nook and every cranny and you can feel the heat, where it’s allowed to gather free of the cold north wind.

I am reminded of when we lived in Vancouver and winters were considerably different. It rained or more accurately, drizzled or even more accurately misted a good portion of the time. Oh yes, it was green and mild, but also came with its own gray dank dullness that blocked that beautiful sun. It’s as if the landscape was flipped over. The gray on top and the color below. An umbrella was almost pointless as the whole idea of an umbrella is that it provides protection from “falling” rain – a concept that is lost on mist. And cold? Oh yes, it was sometimes very cold. I don’t care what anyone says, damp cold is real. It slithers like a snake down through any opening and finds the warmest spots to curl up in.

In Vancouver, in the rain, I was glad to be inside. In Calgary in -25?  I’m glad to be inside as well.

The difference? – I don’t have all the lights on.

I think I’ll go paint.