You know the one that can’t keep his hands off you. Always trying to touch your bare skin. Winter always goes too far; you can ask him to stop, but he never will.
He’s like that wild boy in high school that spent all his time trying to be cool. Every minute of every day, as if being cool was all that mattered.
Sure, he brings you lovely presents, like that a line of snow-covered trees glittering in the sun, pretty as a rhinestone bracelet. But he’s cold-hearted and time after time leaves you out in the cold.
He likes to keep you guessing. One day he’ll warm up to you a bit, and the next day he’s standing in the street, shouting sleet at you, wearing that white muscle T-shirt and pushing you around.
He’ll chase you in and out of buildings; stalking you and moaning like a lovesick calf.
The relationship seemed so charming in the beginning when he would throw down that sparkly white carpet every time you walked out the door. For the holidays, he filled the sky with confetti, and you loved it. These last few months, though, you’ve been living in denial, telling yourself you can get used to it. But you can’t.
Winter has a cold and bitter heart. He thinks that pinching your cheeks and fingertips so hard you almost cry is acceptable. If you’re not careful, you’ll start believing that his behavior is normal. That, my friend, is a slippery slope to slide down.
When you finally tell him to get lost, he will wait on your porch every morning and blast you when you walk out the door. And as if that weren’t enough harassment, at night he’ll come by and rattle your windows, huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf that he is.
Fool that you are, you think you can reason with him. You decide on a date that he will move on and out of your life. You get out your calendar and circle the day, embellishing it with flowers, hearts, and butterflies. (I really don’t know what your mother would say about that.)
Then on the very day marked for his departure, he shows up at your door, stomping his boots and flashing his icy blue eyes, as if to say, you are mine forever. Then he points to the trees he has decorated, and you have to slam the door shut because as mean as he is, he really is a great decorator.
Me? I’m done with him. One of us has got to get out of town. If he’s not gone by the end of April, I’m going to have to leave or get some counseling.
Click the links to find the photographers: Snow pond Firs Rime
year-struck 
DON’T send him my way. I shooed him out about a week ago but he may be sniffing around trying to ruin the week.
He’s been lying low these past few days, but he’s not gone yet. The day after I wrote this, it snowed. Today we have a cold rain.
Awesome. You have captured this love/hate relationship perfectly. And I am right there with you. Kick him to the curb and get away!!!! FAST. He’s coming after you fast and furious.
If I could, I would run away fast. All I can really do is wait for him to decide to leave. 😦
I want to share this with my Austin friends who think it’s cold today at 40. Thanks for sharing my post.
For people in Austin I’m sure 40 feels extremely cold. So I empathize.
I feel your pain…or I did until 10 days ago. My long-time friend, the sun, came calling. She has agreed to extend her visit.
So glad that you are having warm weather. In spite of all indications to the contrary, I believe that someday it will be warm here too.
With snow in our forecast for TONIGHT, I find this post both delightful and appropriate! How did you know?
Well, the day after I wrote the post, it snowed. Somehow it seemed spiteful to me. I hope you get some decent weather soon.
I’ve had enough! 22 degrees this morning. Record low high temperature yesterday. I got snow on my shoes when I cleared two inches of his white vomit off of my car. I refuse to put my winter boots on again this season. The roads were treacherous. I am thankful, though. It’s no longer dark when I get out of work, and my crocuses are blooming. Spring is winning, but it’s been a tougher fight this year.
It has been hard for spring this year. She’s doing her best. The latest snow cover is gone, the grass is mostly green, and the yards are full of robins and grackles pulling juicy worms out of the grass. It’s just so cold still that I have grown weary of it.
I hope you don’t have to leave (although a few days in some exotic paradise would be nice). Warm and Happy Easter to you and your family 🙂
And Happy Easter to you as well.
You’ve said it so well… with illustrations so beautiful… I can only whisper my appreciation.
Thanks, Shimon. I am thankful for people who allow their photos to be shared online.
I’m going to fix you up with a new man. His name is summer. He is a little slow and loses his way to a date’s house sometimes, but he has a warm heart when he eventually shows up.
I need to get him a Garmin or other GPS navigation system so he can find me!
Brilliant! When he shows his face again, though, in a few months time, be wary of the excitement he may instill in you after he begins to scatter frozen sparkles around your hair 🙂
Sadly, I fall for him on a regular basis.
You really are delightful to read. What treasures you have hiding in your words.
As to Winter, dump him! That guy has been everywhere if you know what I mean.
You gave good advice. I’m doing my best to get out of this relationship, but today’s high is in the mid-40s, so clearly I’m not doing so well.
…Wow… you’re good! Love this post – absolutely brilliant! The highlight of my winter romance was skiing in Italy in late December. It was a proper fairytale romance for a couple of weeks and I treasure the memories of confetti and lots of hot chocolate. Back here in England, however, reality set in with a bump. I pretty much wanted to kick him to the curb the minute we unpacked our bags. He left all his his romance back in Courmayeur and was a lousy decorator of all things English, throwing mud and water everywhere for 3 months straight. I’m pretty happy to see the “cool” kid finally go!
A winter romance skiing in Italy sounds like fabulous. Winter courts well, but the long-term relationship is almost always awful.
I quite Winter and now having an affair with Spring. Though, I’m like a revolving door so that former relationship’s not over.
I’m jealous, of course. Winter is particularly persistent this year.
What an awesome post! Wonderful writing! You have captured so much here and picked the perfect illustrations to go along with it. A totally pleasurable experience this work! Thank you.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for reading.
Lovely images, they are as crisp as the cold they portray. I hope he has gone by tomorrow as counseling could be expensive! 😉
I’m late in answering. Please forgive me.
Winter seems to have left the building, along with Elvis. Happiness!