Snowflakes Keep Falling
1/1
The crisp mountain air bit at my nose and cheeks, the feeling letting me know that winter was in full swing. Today was the coldest day of the year so far, everyone was inside hiding from the chill. I, myself, enjoyed the season.
“Why are we out here?” He asked, blowing his hot breath into his bunched up fists, “It’s freezing.”
“You’ll see when we get to the other side of the park.” I pulled his beanie down over his ears and smiled, “Keep those covered you don’t want them to freeze and fall off.”
“Ha ha ha, you think you are so funny.” He quipped back at me.
Poor Matt, he wasn’t used to this weather being that he was a California boy and we were in the frosty Rockies. He didn’t even have any hefty winter clothes ! Luckily my brother was able to dig something out of his closet that would fit his muscular frame.
The park was relatively empty, only a few stragglers walking their dogs or passing through to the other side. See this park ran directly through the center of the little town, on one side was the business district, on the other was all residential.
Frost was beginning to build up on everything, a thin film of white encrusting the metal park benches and the still green blades of grass. The wind picked up, cutting through us like a hot knife through butter. I felt Matt shudder with the sudden blast of cold, pulling me closer, trying to steal my warmth.
We kept walking down the beaten path of rock and weeds, the rocks crunching underneath our shoes. Memories of the past came pouring into my mind, this place was dear to my heart and I was so happy I got to share it with the man I love.
“My grandmother used to take me to this playground all the time when I was a kid. The swings were always my favoite.” I mused as we passed the playground.
Matt grabbed me by the hand, leading me to the abandoned playground, right to the swings. The thick black plastic of the seat was stiff from the freeze, the cold sinking into my thighs. He began pushing me, the swings were so low to the ground my feet dragged through the gravel when I kicked them back.
“I’m too big for these swings.” I laughed.
“Keep your legs straight out.” He said and I did.
He got me swinging faster and faster, and higher I went. I felt the wind brush my cheeks, my hair flowing back past my ears. On the next arc up, I felt the urge to jump, just like when I was a kid, the smooth pebbles crunching beneath my snow boots when I hit the ground. I half expected myself to fall face forward when I landed, but I kept my balance and threw my arms over my head in victory.
Matt ran up to me and wrapped me up in a hug, “Let’s get going.”
He pressed his cold lips to my even colder cheek, I nodded in agreement and led him back to the path. Matt kept wanting to walk faster, but I kept him at a slow pace, I didn’t want to get to the main business drag too early and ruin the surprise.
The business district was dark, all the shops had closed for the day and a few stragglers on the sidewalk. The sun was going down behind the peak the little town sat in front of, darkness was taking its hold.
“It’s a ghost town.” Matt whispered.
I grabbed his hand and led him to a wooden bench, “Just wait.”
What he didn’t know was that tonight was the annual lighting of the lights and the opening of the Christmas village and by village, I mean the whole business district transforms into the spirit of Christmas.
People began lining up along the sidewalks, families, couples, and tourists bundled up waiting. In the distance I heard the soft voices of people singing.
“The first Noel the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay:
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep”
Matt began turning his head spastically, looking around to see where all the voices were coming from.
”Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.”
The carolers began appearing from every where they could appear from, holding larger votive candles and in period dress. Coming down Main Street was the main chorus followed by a horse drawn carriage led by the most majestic Clydesdales with flowing manes that bounced as they sauntered down Main Street.
“They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far:
And to the earth it gave great light
And so continued both day and night.”
On the next Noel, each building lit up their colorful bulbs, timing it perfectly as the chorus passed. I watched Matt’s hazels eyes light up with glee. He stood up from his spot on the bench and walked to the edge of the sidewalk, watching in amazement as the chorus passed us by. I took a minute to watch him, the smile on his ear went from ear to ear and that made me smile even more.
I walked up beside him, he wrapped an arm around my waist and started to lead me down the sidewalk, keeping the time with the parade. He kept turning his head, looking, taking in the scene around him. It was quite a beautiful sight.
When we finally stopped in front of the visitor center, the log cabin like building lit up and then the snow began to fall, the large flakes all the colors of the lights that hung on the building. I looked up at the sky, even though right above us the stars shown, the impending storm was upon us.
“This was your plan the whole time.” He chuckled as he wiped away a flake that landed on my cheek. I nodded gently and gave him a smile.
“I didn’t plan the snow.”
It might not have been the first snow this little town had seen, but tonight it was our first snow together.
“Why are we out here?” He asked, blowing his hot breath into his bunched up fists, “It’s freezing.”
“You’ll see when we get to the other side of the park.” I pulled his beanie down over his ears and smiled, “Keep those covered you don’t want them to freeze and fall off.”
“Ha ha ha, you think you are so funny.” He quipped back at me.
Poor Matt, he wasn’t used to this weather being that he was a California boy and we were in the frosty Rockies. He didn’t even have any hefty winter clothes ! Luckily my brother was able to dig something out of his closet that would fit his muscular frame.
The park was relatively empty, only a few stragglers walking their dogs or passing through to the other side. See this park ran directly through the center of the little town, on one side was the business district, on the other was all residential.
Frost was beginning to build up on everything, a thin film of white encrusting the metal park benches and the still green blades of grass. The wind picked up, cutting through us like a hot knife through butter. I felt Matt shudder with the sudden blast of cold, pulling me closer, trying to steal my warmth.
We kept walking down the beaten path of rock and weeds, the rocks crunching underneath our shoes. Memories of the past came pouring into my mind, this place was dear to my heart and I was so happy I got to share it with the man I love.
“My grandmother used to take me to this playground all the time when I was a kid. The swings were always my favoite.” I mused as we passed the playground.
Matt grabbed me by the hand, leading me to the abandoned playground, right to the swings. The thick black plastic of the seat was stiff from the freeze, the cold sinking into my thighs. He began pushing me, the swings were so low to the ground my feet dragged through the gravel when I kicked them back.
“I’m too big for these swings.” I laughed.
“Keep your legs straight out.” He said and I did.
He got me swinging faster and faster, and higher I went. I felt the wind brush my cheeks, my hair flowing back past my ears. On the next arc up, I felt the urge to jump, just like when I was a kid, the smooth pebbles crunching beneath my snow boots when I hit the ground. I half expected myself to fall face forward when I landed, but I kept my balance and threw my arms over my head in victory.
Matt ran up to me and wrapped me up in a hug, “Let’s get going.”
He pressed his cold lips to my even colder cheek, I nodded in agreement and led him back to the path. Matt kept wanting to walk faster, but I kept him at a slow pace, I didn’t want to get to the main business drag too early and ruin the surprise.
The business district was dark, all the shops had closed for the day and a few stragglers on the sidewalk. The sun was going down behind the peak the little town sat in front of, darkness was taking its hold.
“It’s a ghost town.” Matt whispered.
I grabbed his hand and led him to a wooden bench, “Just wait.”
What he didn’t know was that tonight was the annual lighting of the lights and the opening of the Christmas village and by village, I mean the whole business district transforms into the spirit of Christmas.
People began lining up along the sidewalks, families, couples, and tourists bundled up waiting. In the distance I heard the soft voices of people singing.
“The first Noel the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay:
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep”
Matt began turning his head spastically, looking around to see where all the voices were coming from.
”Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel.”
The carolers began appearing from every where they could appear from, holding larger votive candles and in period dress. Coming down Main Street was the main chorus followed by a horse drawn carriage led by the most majestic Clydesdales with flowing manes that bounced as they sauntered down Main Street.
“They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far:
And to the earth it gave great light
And so continued both day and night.”
On the next Noel, each building lit up their colorful bulbs, timing it perfectly as the chorus passed. I watched Matt’s hazels eyes light up with glee. He stood up from his spot on the bench and walked to the edge of the sidewalk, watching in amazement as the chorus passed us by. I took a minute to watch him, the smile on his ear went from ear to ear and that made me smile even more.
I walked up beside him, he wrapped an arm around my waist and started to lead me down the sidewalk, keeping the time with the parade. He kept turning his head, looking, taking in the scene around him. It was quite a beautiful sight.
When we finally stopped in front of the visitor center, the log cabin like building lit up and then the snow began to fall, the large flakes all the colors of the lights that hung on the building. I looked up at the sky, even though right above us the stars shown, the impending storm was upon us.
“This was your plan the whole time.” He chuckled as he wiped away a flake that landed on my cheek. I nodded gently and gave him a smile.
“I didn’t plan the snow.”
It might not have been the first snow this little town had seen, but tonight it was our first snow together.