| A sugar-frosted morning greets them. The sun, a muted orange cotton ball hangs low in heavy soft skies. They walk arm in crooked arm, bundled in scarves up to rosy noses and fuzzy hats pulled low over wild gold brown hair. Scattered flakes stick to the strands randomly, individual lacy jewels upon crowns. Thick pink and purple mittens warm nippy fingers. The hushed crisp air is invaded only sparsely by the far off muffled squeals of metal blowers sinking sharpened teeth into virgin snowdrifts. Soft foggy breaths and dampened swish of boots on snow seem loud in the stillness of the day.
They pause at the foot of long vacant tobacco fields, eyeing the blank canvas. Glistening freshness calls to them in the silence. Dare they? YES! Yes, they do! With glee the two leap over the chains guarding the entrance from vehicles. Facing each other with broad grins, they fall backwards trusting into the alabaster blanket with swishing arms and legs giggling.
They jump up racing across the fields, ducking clumps of snow hurled at each other, laying fresh tracks that beckon."Follow me!". Breathless, walking now, leaning upon one another, two heads are tipped to pregnant skies, tongues out to catch the confection from heaven. Snowflakes kiss lashes. Icing drips from old barn eaves and swaying branches as if made ready for a gingerbread scene. One points to the footprints of a deer that had reached this idyllic scene before them. They are not the first, no matter. They add their own story to the one previously written, weaving their chapter seamlessly into the first. The other reaches up and shakes snow off the branches onto the first. Spontaneous glee and fresh chase is given. Her footsteps, deadened crunches gaining before a powdery ball whizzes past an ear.
Afterwards, spinning in the snow, arms out spiraling, the mama and the dancing girl delight in renewed wonder. Dizzy, they fall to the ground, hardly aware of the cold, not caring. There is only laughter and warmth and joy. They have a whole unmarked sheet before them to fill as they will. It is a new day for the two, a new day and a new beginning. For today, they choose to paint angels filling up their world, swishing arms and legs and light.
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