Ice, Cold, and Steel
In Virginia, the grim grey of winter can make for a dreary time, but in its icy cold can be found a certain beauty. Perched above the Roanoke Valley atop Mt. Chestnut Road at the entrance to Valhalla Vineyards is a small turnout on a steep, narrow mountainside road. With careful parking a person can stop there with the car groaning toward the bottom of the distant valley far below, held back only by well-maintained brakes. Spread before you is a magnificent vista where on a clear day you can easily see across Southwest Virginia’s commerce center and off about fifty miles beyond the Peaks of Otter, blue mountain ridge after ridge.
Today was such a beautiful day. When I awoke this morning, I was surprised by Venus hanging like a searchlight in the western predawn sky. I can’t recall her being so vibrant in the morning sky ever before. She was like a miniature full moon or a lantern hanging in the sky, and for a moment I thought I might have awakened on some alien planet. As I drove in to work, the sun threatened to peak over the eastern mountains casting a purple and red warning message on the high, ribbed clouds that were motionlessly floating by. The air was somehow more crisp and clean than usual. Every breath I took seemed to fill me with a certain intelligent burst of energy, a creative power.
Work held me hostage inside through the course of the day; I was anxious to venture out again, but chained to my desk. I bided my time until I could loose my bindings and finally break out. As is my custom every Monday, I found myself perched on the side of Mount Chestnut road on top of the world while my daughter spent her weekly time with her piano teacher.
Looking down on the valley below late in the day, I watched as the clouds lowered in anticipation of an ice storm to soon come. Gradually, the sky turned from a high, innocent grey to enveloping, suffocating dark steel. Lights winked on as the grey mask covered the remains of the day. Distant neon and fluorescent beckoned Venus to return. But Venus wouldn’t come back this night. The ice queen would keep her at bay. Pellets of sleet fell without effect on my car windshield. No doubt though, despite repelling the first wave attack, the land would lose the battle with the ice queen, and she would eventually win the night. Even the light of Venus could not rescue the land. Tomorrow will no doubt bring an inviting and deceptive gloss to everything along with new adventures. Tomorrow will be ruled by the queen of ice, cold, and steel.
Today was such a beautiful day. When I awoke this morning, I was surprised by Venus hanging like a searchlight in the western predawn sky. I can’t recall her being so vibrant in the morning sky ever before. She was like a miniature full moon or a lantern hanging in the sky, and for a moment I thought I might have awakened on some alien planet. As I drove in to work, the sun threatened to peak over the eastern mountains casting a purple and red warning message on the high, ribbed clouds that were motionlessly floating by. The air was somehow more crisp and clean than usual. Every breath I took seemed to fill me with a certain intelligent burst of energy, a creative power.
Work held me hostage inside through the course of the day; I was anxious to venture out again, but chained to my desk. I bided my time until I could loose my bindings and finally break out. As is my custom every Monday, I found myself perched on the side of Mount Chestnut road on top of the world while my daughter spent her weekly time with her piano teacher.
Looking down on the valley below late in the day, I watched as the clouds lowered in anticipation of an ice storm to soon come. Gradually, the sky turned from a high, innocent grey to enveloping, suffocating dark steel. Lights winked on as the grey mask covered the remains of the day. Distant neon and fluorescent beckoned Venus to return. But Venus wouldn’t come back this night. The ice queen would keep her at bay. Pellets of sleet fell without effect on my car windshield. No doubt though, despite repelling the first wave attack, the land would lose the battle with the ice queen, and she would eventually win the night. Even the light of Venus could not rescue the land. Tomorrow will no doubt bring an inviting and deceptive gloss to everything along with new adventures. Tomorrow will be ruled by the queen of ice, cold, and steel.
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