The Joy of First Snow: Fall CSA Week #1, 10/30/19

On the way to the bus stop this morning, my 10 year old daughter was lamenting that she didn’t want snow and cold on Halloween. She wasn’t just complaining, she was weeping. 

I acknowledged she was bummed about it, but I asked her to take a deep breath and look outside her window. 

“Honey,” I said, “Look outside. It’s gorgeous outside.  The snow is beautiful! There’s nothing we can do to change what the weather will be for Halloween. So let’s just try and enjoy this beautiful snow that’s here right now.”

My suggestion to be in the moment didn’t really work at first. In the moment, I was frustrated by this. I wanted her to be able to see what was actually going on around her and take in the joy from that. Instead, she was lost in worry inside her head, worry about a reality that may or may not occur. 

How so very easy to see this when you aren’t the one stuck in the worry. 

Little does my daughter know, I myself was having the same sort of worry this morning.   I was halfway through a quiet, pristine morning walk through my fields before I really noticed the beauty around me. 

All I could think about was the parsnips we didn’t get out of the ground, or the beds of carrots that remain in the field. Or how cold we were all going to be while trying to get any brussels sprouts out before the weather dips below 20 degrees on Thursday night. All I could do was worry about the impact of the snow and coming cold. 

I literally had to stop myself in my snowy tracks, take a deep breath, and remind myself that I can’t change that it’s cold and snowy. I had to remind myself that I was walking in the pristine quiet of the first snowfall. 

Once I reset my mind, I so enjoyed my morning walk. 

I was proud of Zea, because she was able to reset too. Once we parked by the bus stop, we all enjoyed licking snow off the fence line and stomping around. She crossed the highway to her awaiting bus with a smile on her face.  She had decided to be in the now and enjoy the snow. 

Here’s hoping you too were able to enjoy the beauty of the first snowfall, despite whatever worries it may have caused you. 

Farmer Cassie
p.s. Snow = soup season. Enjoy!