It’s not my first winter in a snowy New England town, but it’s my first in Manchester Center, Vermont. Hats, mittens, scarves, and my LLBean boots keep me warm as I walk on snowy streets and pathways. Plans are tentative, depending on the forecast in ways that they are not during the other three seasons. I am tempted to explore this wintry landscape I call home, and equally tempted to curl up with a cup of tea and a book.

In this valley between two mountain ranges, the contours of the world have taken on new form, and the light is winter-specific. It seems like a good time and place to wonder…