The world here emerged from hibernation weeks ago, only to be reminded suddenly and thoroughly that winter has not yet departed.
Since last Friday night, we’ve been blanketed by snow in wave after wave of successive small storms. Last night was no exception; we have a new half-foot on the ground, and more coming out of the sky.
Daytime, though, has been a different matter. The weather has alternated between cold, snowy, blustery conditions and periods of calm when the sun warms earth and air alike. It’s having salutary long-term benefits: Instead of a hard freeze that will melt inches of snow all at once and turn the land to a mudpit, or a ground blizzard blowing all of the accumulation away entirely, we’re getting the best possible cycle of snow that melts in place, followed by more snow all over again. The earth is loving the slow but steady soaking, taking it in deep. When it’s time to plant, the soil will be ready.
But while we’re spared the several-inches-deep mud that accompanies large-scale thaws, there remains plenty of it to go around. The chickens love it, spending their days pecking industriously. When it’s tome to go in for the evening, they waddle even more than usual — running with feet encased in mud, looking for all the world like tiny brown snowshoes. The dogs have fared better, but the horses? Not so much. They fling themselves joyously into the snow, rolling, rolling, and when they get up and shake off, their coats manage to be both cleaner and dirtier simultaneously. For Ice, the white horse, his coat at the moment is a semi-permanent putty color, exactly the shade of the little bear featured here today.
Perhaps the bear exited hibernation a little early and decided a roll in the snow would be a welcome substitute for a bath.
This little ursine creature is not, however, in need a genuine cleansing; that;s his natural color, endowed by the stone from which he emerges. From its description in the Other Artists: Fetishes gallery here on the site:
This perfect little hump-backed bear, carved out of dove-gray [white] alabaster by Justin Gomez (Taos Pueblo), fits perfectly into the palm of your hand. The stone from which he emerges is smoky and smooth, with a delicate tracery of fragile white lines in the matrix. He stands, calmly but alertly, atop a rough-cut base of translucent orange alabaster. Bear stands 2″ long by 1.75 high, including base (dimensions approximate).
Alabaster; orange alabaster
$35 + shipping, handling, and insurance
At one time, we had three such bear fetishes by Justin, all rendered in varying shades of alabaster. His clansmen, more vividly-hued and carrying tiny bundles, have long since sold. Oddly, though, this little guy was always my favorite by far: simple, spare, a muted color and understated stance, but of all them, to me the one who most embodied archetypal Bear.
It would be easy to take that as a sign that this little late-winter snow bear is not meant to journey elsewhere, but of course that’s not the case. He just hasn’t found his destination yet. In the meantime, though, he has a safe place here, having emerged from hibernation will the snows still fall.
In his case, it looks as though he’s emerged directly from a sherd of the icy winter sun.
~ Aji
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