... She Wrote

A Snowflake's Chance?

(prompt: 'shower' May 29, 2021)

Once upon a long time ago (1869, to be precise), 'a remarkably fine fall of snow-stars took place over many parts of London'. Although more commonly known as snowflakes, the wondrous beauty of their patterns called for a more magical, poetic name. And so the delightful 'snow-stars' was born.

Impossible to imagine they are formed of minute coloured crystals — some red, some green, others blue or purple... in fact all the colours of the rainbow —and yet, in combination, the magic happens; they meld to form the purest white.

But wait... the magic continues. If one would cut a slice of ice from a frozen lake, maybe, and place it so the sun's pure light shone through, yet another beautiful phenomena can take place —'ice flowers'. Ahh, but the pictures this name conjures up. Unsurprising that one of the most appreciative audience commented —

'A fairy seems to have breathed upon the ice,

and caused transparent flowers of exquisite beauty

suddenly to blossom in myriads within it.'

Or, if that fairy were a Snow Queen, maybe she would simply open her magic umbrella and a shower of iridescent loveliness would drift ever so softly and soundlessly, transforming the world below. And yet another impossibility is born. Vast mountain ranges with the mightiest of peaks, covered in layer upon incredible layer of these glorious, rainbow snow-stars, ever compacting themselves to form

'the enormous icebergs of the Arctic and Antarctic seas,

the snow-caps which crown the Alps and Andes and Himalayas,

and the glaciers which urge their way with resistless force down the mountain valleys,

all made up of these delicate and beautiful snow-flowers'.

My words pale in comparison to these gems, but maybe that's understandable. Although it's cold as... on this first official day of our winter, and the wind blows frigid, direct from the South Pole, we don't get snow in our corner of the world. When you come from this Land Downunder... the seasons are upside down, as well. As our northern neighbours are embracing the joys of summer, we light up our fires and make excuses to be indoors.

"I have a deadline to meet for this story, and it's sneaking up fast";

and

"Think I might be coming down with something—bit shivery, throat's considering soreness, head aching a bit... best I stay indoors today."

and

"Darn it, I would come out but I absolutely promised myself (and the family) I'd make a monster pot of Minestrone soup, and I have SO many vegetables to peel and chop."

Instead of physically glorying in these jewels of Nature called snow-stars and ice flowers, I'll be huddling before some welcome warmth; quickly deciding that's not a bad place to be at all. I find pictures of icy winter are SO pretty... from a vast distance.

Mmm... there's much to be said for a lively imagination, ably abetted by my best friend, my cheery, slow-combustion fire.