Two days ago I walked through towering red rocks on a semi-sunny crisp-cold day. Today was a bone-chilling, wind-whipped, gray, cold, joy-killing day. I seem to have my own internal thermometer and light meter. When a day loses sufficient light and temperature, my body ceases to rejoice in Winter and slinks inside to hibernate until lighter, warmer times. I can bundle up with the hardiest of them but when inhaling begins to chafe my nose and throat and my breath fogs and freezes in the air, I draw the line. I gravitate toward moderate temperatures: warm and cool, spring and autumn. I began my marriage in my husband's home state, North Dakota, so I have experienced real Cold. In the northern states there is a "Culture of Cold." People drive 7 months of the year on studded snow tires. Their car trunks are stocked with candles, energy bars, blankets and other emergency items--just in case. People install radiator heaters so they can "plug in" their cars when they park or they carry two sets of keys so they can leave the car locked--and still running--while they run into the store for a few items. Grand Forks Air Force Base, where we lived, had a "Frost Bite Hotline" that parents could call to see whether their kids could walk to school or would need to be driven. While winter has never been my favorite season, I found much to love and enjoy of North Dakota winters. Denver's winters are actually quite mild in comparison--and they are several months shorter. We had 55 degrees on Christmas Day and 11 days later we topped out at 20 degrees plus some wind-chill factored in. I guess if I had to choose between really cold and really hot with humidity, I'd choose the cold: I can always add a layer and a heavier coat. Tonight's low will be 8 degrees but tomorrow's high is forecast to be a balmy 35.
We received some good news yesterday. We will have a Russian Servas guest in mid-February who will be doing an "artist in residence" placement in Wyoming just 3 hours north of us and she will spend three days with us in Denver before her residency begins. I have been so hesitant to label myself an "Artist" preferring to say I had an "interest" in art. This year when I filled out the Servas Host renewal information, under Interests and Pastimes, I put Artist and Writer. I still feel it is pressing the point a bit, but if it gets the interest of artists and writers as potential house guests I think I can live with that. She will be the second artist we've entertained recently. The other was from Australia and was on her way to opening a one-month exhibition in New York. Maybe some of the artistry will be contagious.
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