Signs of winter

Lately, I've been focused on the dulldroms of late fall and early winter in Estonia. It's a bit gray around here, and it doesn't help that the sun rises at 8:49 and has already set by 3:21 (December 10). As I write this, the filmy cover of clouds slowly turns from ash to a seamless back in color. Someone from a year-round sun-drenched climate, I struggle with feeling sleepy and a bit grouchy. In Wyoming we endure blizzards, windstorms, tornadoes, and an occasional rain; we have violent weather, but we also have an abundant amount of sunshine, with the glowing red orb reappearing after each tempestuous interruption. After a mere one or two days without seeing the sun, Wyomingites begin to complain of the oppressiveness of the weather. Estonia is perhaps a good test of character for those of us from the sunny prairie.

A student of mine recently gave me a copy of Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson after she discovered with horror that I had never experienced the Finnish children's popular series about Moomins. Cute, fuzzy creatures captured by Jansson appear misshapen and a bit strange, but I was delighted to find the books such an accurate description of Nordic humor and perspective on this dark time of year. In this story, Moomintroll awakes from his winter slumber and cannot return to sleep. He ventures out amongst the creatures of winter and the strange landscape of the season. In a sudden outburst, he shouts this angry summer song:

Listen, winter creatures, who have sneaked the sun away,

Who are hiding in the dark and making all the valley grey:

I am utterly alone, and I’m tired to the bone,

And I’m sick enough of snowdrifts just to lay down and groan.

I want my blue verandah and the glitter of the sea,

And I tell you one and all that your winter’s not for me!

“Just you wait until my sun’s coming back to look at you, and then you’ll look silly, all of you,” Moomintroll shouted and didn’t even care about rhymes anymore:

Because then I’ll dance on a sunflower disk

And lie on my stomach in the warm sand

And keep my window open all the day

On the garden and bumblebees

And on the sky-blue sky

And my own great

Orange-yellow

SUN!

From Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson, 1957, pp. 39-40

I have no problem relating to little Moomintroll and could stand outside right now and shout nearly the same thing at the VERY gray sky! However, I restrain. I am not a Moomin. I am an adult. Focus on the positive. Think brightly (after all, the sun did shine here yesterday).

There are pretty holiday lights,



and fancy university balls



and sometimes snow



and good friends to visit with over mulled wine (feuerzangenbowle)



and don't forget Grandma Bea's Christmas cookies!

The Christmas season has begun here and that brings some brightness. I can throw myself into this time of year, even if the days are dark and a bit lackluster. After all is said in done, I will learn, just like Moomintroll, to appreciate some of the finer points of this wintry season (Jansson, 1957, p. 151):

“Do you know, when the snow comes, it falls down from the sky like tiny and very cold stars. And up there in the blue sky you can see fluttering blue and green curtains.”

…

“Yes, and even if you can’t walk on the snow you can slide along on it,” continued Moomintroll. “It’s called skiing. It makes you rush ahead fast, like lightening, in a cloud of whirling snow, and you’ve got to look sharp or else!”