Crystal Mountain

It has been quite cold this winter. In January there was a brief thaw, but in reality that seems to just make things worse, for both anticipation and practicality. The snow melted and turned to ice, making it more difficult to access items I had intered for preservation, such as meats and vegetables I kept in my little ground fridge.

Brother came out once in January, looks like that will be the last time he is going to make it out here for quite a while. He notified me that he is going to be moving down south, taking the family to live a better life. I told him life out here might be even better than that, he scoffed at that remark. He even suggested that I return to "normal" life. I told him after all I've been through out here, going back would be certain confusion and depression.

I am going to miss him.

Two days after brother left I woke to heavy rains early in the morning. I thought for sure that I was going to see another thaw and muddy mess. After slipping back into slumber and then awakening again just after dawn I looked out to see nothing but ice everywhere. I crawled out of bed and packed my leggings and sweater with newpaper threw on my coat and boots and headed out of doors. The sun was just making its way over the distant mountains which were whiter than snow. Each and every branch, sapling, and shoot from the ground had been encased in a neatly ordered one inch ice cylinder. The sun could play no better tricks on the eye in tandem with the ice than what was happening here, every chunk of ice became a prizm. A gentle breeze picked through and echoed the chatter of a crystal chandelier in a drafty room. I was yearning for home, for someone to share this experience with.