Winter Wonder

Reflections on Love, Wonder, and Creativity this Valentine's Day

“If you let yourself be open to wonder, I mean really open yourself to being able to receive it, it’s the closest thing to falling in love...”

- Aimee Nezhukumatathil

I’ve been thinking about wonder this month as I’ve been spending hours outside in the cold observing the frozen Potomac River. There is something about the frozen landscape that captivates me.

It was unusual to have below freezing temperatures for so many days in a row which presented unique opportunities. I love observing the seasons and there is something about the way the light reflects on the ice and the ways the tides cause shifts and changes that especially fascinates me.

The video below captures some of the ice breaking and shifting.

“Wonder for me is when you get surprised by your own curiosity when confronted with something unfamiliar or unexpected and that sense of curiosity turns into a kind of joy and excitement.”

- Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s quote above about wonder, curiosity and joy describes my experience of winter wonder. The more I observe, the more I want to see. How has the river changed since yesterday? Why does the ice seem to break up with the tide change some days and not others?

In addition to the frozen river itself, there is wonder at seeing some of the other animals that call this place home. The bald eagles have been particularly majestic, flying over the frozen river, landing on its surface and taking off again, carrying fish.

Bald eagles out on the ice, flying over the river and carrying a fresh fish while flying.

Bluebirds have joined me in the trees along the shore as I observe the changes in the frozen landscape.

Bluebirds along the shore of the frozen Potomac River.

The great blue herons are my favorite. I love seeing them take off and land from the surface of the ice.

Great blue herons landing on ice, walking with a fish and flying over the river.

Great blue herons on the frozen Potomac River.

I would love to hear from you too.

Where are you finding wonder? How does wonder inspire love and creativity in your life?

We were fortunate that the Walk for Peace passed right through our community. I got to see the Buddhist Monks on their walk both Sunday afternoon and Monday morning. My favorite was being along the GW Parkway on Monday morning and getting to witness the monks seeing the river for the first time.

I loved getting to see how the monks shared in my wonder at the beauty of the river.

Wishing you love, wonder, and creativity on this Valentine’s Day,

Kathryn

With thanks to Anna Waters for capturing some photos of me exploring the river.

Below are additional photos from my visits to the frozen river this past couple weeks.

Quotes from Aimee Nezhukumatathil come from an interview with Ross Gay published in Poets and Writers Magazine in the September/October 2020 issue.