It has been warm and dry winter here in Colorado, and despite the sunny weather being a sort of balm for my seasonal depression, I find myself wistful for the crisp calm of freshly fallen snow. That silent sparkling landscape, the normal sounds of life muffled by the sleepy chilling blanket that covers the land. If you’re up early enough, all you can hear is your crunching foot falls and the occasional flutter and quick chirp of a chickadee or two. It’s possible sometimes to come upon other animals moving in the snow. Maybe an outdoor cat, a fox, or a group of deer. In weather like that, sometimes I feel like I will turn the corner and come upon my long gone friend, and he will lead me into the frosted wilds where we can play and forget about time.

Wolfy will always be the spirit of snow to me. I hope it will snow again soon, so I can be reminded of his boundless winter joy.