Let it Snow!

I awoke this morning to find about 4 more inches of snow on the ground, bringing our grand total for this storm to about 6. Although I sometimes get tired of scraping windshields and shoveling walks, I know that I am blessed to live in a place that can convey the natural beauty of a fresh snowfall. Tree branches sag and droop like packs slung over a horses back, as bits of their twigs remain uncovered to remind us of the beauty that lies underneath. I think that living in the mountains sometimes can wear away at the novelty of a big snow, but having blustery cold weather definitely makes you really appreciate those 70 degree days in January (Yes, we do have those here!). For now, Ill just enjoy the splendor of the wintry world around me, while looking forward to warmer days.

As you may remember from my previous blog, I am currently in the midst of reading a great American classic "Travels with Charley." Although this is my 4th or 5th time through, I still enjoy it as if it were my first time flipping the pages. Over the years I have made funny little notes, comments, and symbols in the margins of the pages, which now remind me of years gone by. I feel like Sherlock Holmes trying to decipher what I meant by a cryptic note made 5 years ago, or why I felt like highlighting an entire page (Doesn't this inevitably reduce the efficacy of highlighting?). What I do know for sure is that this book has followed me for most of my adult life, and has unquestionably had an effect on the way I think about culture and its effect on who we are as Americans. Steinbeck truly wants the reader to reflect on the way we go about our lives, and the subsequent effect on the people around us.

On a divergent, but not so separate note, something very interesting has happened to me since I began reading this book at work: I often find myself talking the book up to guests and employees, which inevitably spurs conversation over literary interests. The more and more I talk to people about literature, the more I realize that these days people are more or less bandwagon bookworms. Of the people I have spoken to on this subject, most reflect on their current favorite authors as people like Dan Brown, John Grisham, and J.K. Rowling.

Although I respect these individuals as authors, they are simply nowhere near the same plane as some of our great American novelists. Hemmingway, Steinbeck, and Twain wrote material that transcends generations and cultures, and is used in schools for our literary upbringing. I surely can't picture "The Davinci Code" becoming part of America's high school curriculum any time soon. People seem to regard our classic American authors as part of history, something to reflect upon and admire, and when the time comes, read the Cliff Notes so that they can pass the exam. Thus I encourage you to go to your local library or bookstore and walk directly past the new releases and NY Times bestsellers. Walk to the corner in the back, where books garner more dust than interest, and pick up a copy of Huck Finn, The Sun Also Rises, or East of Eden. Read, and repeat for best results.

A.S. Bloom