Where has winter gone? Snow fall only occurs for others I suppose. This year the sleds will continue to gather dust in the garage, having never moved from their customary spot in the corner, only ridden by the occasional spider or lucky field mouse. The boxes of mismatched gloves will go without being paired up at a moments notice. Snow boots, the gifts of many at Christmas, may never be worn, either passed down or passed on to another child.

I for one enjoy a decent winter, not the mucky somewhat cold slushy winters, but the good ones that produce 10 inches of thick all enveloping white blankets. Creating drifts that you can hurl your body into without risk of being injured. Longing for the hours of snow fort building and snow ball creating only stopping when your fingers become numb and the only remedy is a warm beverage and some tasty warm brownies fresh out of the oven. The smell of a nice wood burning fireplace, not the convenient fake gas logs or inserts but a good ol’ fashioned cracklin’ fire, producing that distinct rich aroma. And that fireplace becoming a place to dry out your socks and gloves at the end of the day. Let’s not forget the tingling sensation one gets as their hands and feet begin to regain their normal temperature. Or how about the trips in the family car that seem to have a sense of adventure when the roads are snow and ice covered. Or how a routine 10 minute trip can turn into a 30 minute white knuckle swear word laden adventure. Or the cold starry nights when every star beams and reflects off of the perfect snow covered ground only clouded out from the fog of your breath. How can we truly appreciate the joys of spring without winter?

Who is to blame for this travesty being perpetrated on us, El Nino’, Global Warming, Mother Nature, or a combination of all three. Well I say winter is not gone it lives within all of us in our memories. Some of you could taste the brownies, smell the fire, and hear the crunch of the flakes as your memory trekked through the snow. It will be back, but maybe not this year.