LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1543801
Rhiannon Happy winter, Editor rhiannon@localadk.com LOCALadk 6 A M E S S A G E F R O M R H I A N N O N LOCALadk Before transitioning permanently to a life in the Adiron- dacks, my 30+ years of living in Syracuse, NY gave me a strong introductor y course in winter living. Call it Winter 101. But the Adirondacks offer a master's degree in winter life. This year, however, the ADK seems to be handing out PhDs. Between what we assumed would be the customar y "first, quick snowfall" becoming the true beginning of steady snowbands, the long stretch of abbreviated daylight, and record-setting cold arriving with impressive regularity, this has been one of those seasons that reshapes us. Even the most enthusiastic winter outdoor enthusiasts have had to admit: it's been a long one. What I've noticed more than anything this year has been the appearance of ice, and it has been seemingly ever y- where. Ice can be breathtaking in the proper setting — the sealing of a pond in a silver mirror, pine needles encased in cr ystals turning kaleidoscopic, the glazing of a rockface in cathedral-like patterns. (Okay, so maybe ice climbers are the one group who are having the time of their lives…) But when ice appears where it was never meant to remain — on our streets, on our sidewalks, in front of schools, places of worship, and jobs — it becomes a nuisance, leaving damage (and dreaded ice dams) in its wake. The Adirondacks have always taught that no elements of any season hold the final word. At the height of winter, the land is already turning towards spring. Seasonal change does not rush but, rather, occurs steadi- ly. The sun lingers a few seconds longer at dusk. Beneath packed snow, bulbs prepare their ascent. Sap rises in the maples long before we taste sweetness. Already, there is evidence of ice beginning to weaken. Icicles beginning their measured drip. A thin ribbon of dark pavement widening where the sun lingers longest. The snow softening along southern-facing hillsides. The sound of a gentle trickle beneath frozen streams in the woods. The gradual steadiness of this transformative chapter of winter always leaves me in a state of awe. It never hap- pens all at once; there is no single decisive moment. Just persistence – the light returning by degrees, the warmth settling in quietly. What once felt immovable loosens its grip, not because it was shattered, but because it could not outlast the tilt of the earth toward something brighter. Life teaches you to trust that tilt. I take hope in the reminder that ice is not, and will never be, permanent. It may command a season and alter our foot- ing, but it does not last. The thaw always comes. And with it, the steady reassurance whispered through generations and landscapes alike: this, too, shall pass. We thank you for your readership and for playing a part in this vibrant community. As always, we encourage you to support the wonderful and talented local business through- out the Adirondacks whenever possible. It is through their continued support that we are able to bring LOC ALadk to you and yours as a free publication. We also ask you to con- sider reading and contributing to our GoFundMe fundraiser to support the future of our magazine. Visit www.gofundme.com/f/localadk or scan our QR code below for details. We thank you — truly — for your support.