It’s spitting snow today with our thermometer shivering at 27 degrees (-2.8 C). It’s hard to ponder going outside. North wind cuts through flimsy autumn jackets, demanding winter garb.
I’m reading.
My friend Emma recommended The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Just started lapping up the words and paragraphs last night, mesmerized by stark white descriptions of an aging couple living in Alaska in the 1920’s.
Here’s the book description: Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart–he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season’s first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone–but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.
This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.
I haven’t read beyond Page 80, so can’t determine if I’ll like the book or if it shall end “happily ever after” but am fascinated by the Fairy Tale child-fox sprinting in the trees of imagination, in the landscape of hope and possibility.
Speaking of magical, would you like to listen to one of my all-time favorite songs? Prepare to be transported into this White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes. The video is pure delight!
Lake Superior Spirit 
Oh Kathy, I love Fleet Foxes. Check out their song: Montezuma
And…Eowyn has experienced an almost fairy tale event with the release of her book. It made the NYT bestseller list, and highest honors in many countries throughout the world (she has been touring worldwide)…a huge rise to unexpected stardom, pretty incredible for a quiet girl from Palmer (Alaska).
Monica, I shall check out Montezuma. If I can pull myself away from Eowyn’s book. It is magical! The writing is delicious. She deserves every bit of that success.
Sounds like the book jacket is a more pleasant place than your deck right now. I think I’ll have some cookies and milk if you care to join me 🙂
Brrr, Heather, chilly deck. Can we eat our milk and cookies inside, please? OK, I’ll go for a walk with you. Just with you, because you’re an escapee kind of girl.
Oh, I don’t have to go out EVERY day…I’m having my cookies and milk inside today and we can walk tomorrow 🙂
Phew…
Kathy, I really enjoyed the video! Can you post it on facebook so I can share it on my wall? It’s just delightful! And the book sounds interesting, do you think I could find it at the library?
It was a cold morning here too..snowing and 19 but it felt like 2 degrees with the wind! It has stopped snowing (nothing stuck except bits along the curbs) and it has warmed up to 25.
Enjoy your reading day honey ♥
Done, Brenda. I posted it on FB for your sharing purposes. I don’t know if this book would be at the library yet; I think it’s kinda new. Gosh, that wind is piercingly cold! They say there might even be a 3-6″ snowstorm up on the Keweenaw! Glad we’re not going up thattaway.
Thanks so much Kathy 🙂 As far as the book, I wondered that too but I’ll look and see the next time I go. Sometimes they’ll order a book if someone requests it so I might do that.
The temp has not gotten above 25 but the wind is still cold (feels like 9 degrees) ..brrr. Tomorrow will be better at 40 🙂 Gosh I hope you don’t get that snow!!
Will get a sample on Kindle – we both know how easy that is! Let it snow!
Let me know, Barb, if it intrigues you as much as it intrigued me. Let is snow…yes…let winter come…
I love sitting in on snowy days reading a good book. Stay warm and hope you don’t need to dig out.
May we not have to Dig Out. Not yet! 🙂
What a peculiar video. Sweet. But I’m not sure what to make of it. I have heard of the book you are reading. It sounds quite magical.
Not to rub it in but it was sunny and 12-14 here today. Guess that’s in the low 60’s F. Spoz’d to go up to 16 tomorrow ! Woot ! Why don’t you come here for the day tomorrow and go walking with my and Lynne and Amy-Lynn.
Your Appropriate Response, Sybil, is: OH, I love that video! 🙂 As for rubbing it in, I am insanely and wildly envious, but will keep a stiff upper lip and imagine that I am walking with the three of you and loving it beyond imagination.
Another magical entry to take me to another place Kathy. Thank you for sharing this, both words and song!
I am glad you felt the magic, Susan!
I’m glad you’re reading this book! I hope you love it. It was one of those “Wow…wow…” books for me.
Emma, thank you so much for the recommendation! I am saying “wow…wow” already.
Kathy – We had a few — very few — snow flurries today; the first of the season. With the wind whipping wildly, it’s time for me to start wearing ear covers. I enjoyed the video clip – thank you for sharing it!
We awoke to five inches of snow this morning, Laurie!! I could build a snow girl this morning who might come alive and open the door to this house and take over my blogging. LOL! Glad you enjoyed the Fleet Foxes and get out those ear covers, girlfriend!
loved it – thank you
LouAnn, glad you enjoyed!
Beautiful video, and a great book recommendation to boot…Thank You!
Cindy, I am so loving the book (and have loved the video for several years.) Glad to share them with you.
I’ve never heard the song, Kathy, but it is charming. And addictive, I think.
I have read the book Snow Child. I thought it was worth reading. Magical.
Oh, yes, one of those addictive songs, Christine. I wonder why I’m attracted to addictive songs. Don’t get me started about musicals! But am glad you thought the Snow Child was magical. Can not quite imagine how it ends, though.
I remember wondering the same thing when I was reading it.
I read this blog yesterday, with no time to comment, that I had been here. I think it sounds like such a delightful and perfect choice of reading material – ALL things considered. Puts me in mind of a night when I ended up making my hike solo in the dark night but Full Moonlight, in January (I am that determined to get my hike each day !!) while listening to The Stolen Child on audio book. Suddenly, coyotes made their presence known, just as the story was quite riveting and I was going “deeper” in for a loop along the confluence of 2 creeks. I chickened out, turned and hurried home; but the next night I went back out, this time intentionally after dark alone, for I did not want FEAR to rule me. I heard coyotes again but did not give in to my fears.
Deb, how interesting that you would tell this story about being afraid and how you overcame your fear. The other night I walked out to the mailbox on our driveway–now that shouldn’t have been scary, should it–but it was so pitch dark and I could hear coyotes and I got nervous, nervous, nervous, especially feeling around and not being able to FIND the mailbox. I am proud of you choosing not to let fear rule you. I’ll head out to the mailbox again after dark soon.
Happy going deep inside time. See you when you re-emerge like the springtime and thanks for the special recipes and longtime friendship.
Deb, gosh, wouldn’t that be something if I didn’t emerge until springtime? Usually these breaks last a couple weeks. The body and spirit and emotions are adjusting to this more inward time again. It often takes awhile before the energy evens out. Thank you for you pausing to say “fare thee well”. Looks like a couple of you sneaked back here to say so. 🙂
Sounds like you guys got the snow we got on the weekend, transforming the landscape into a winter wonderland, similar to what your story is about. It sounds magical, as was that video! Very interesting how they turned back time in that. From what you’ve posted about The Snow Child, I am quite intrigued. I will have to go look it up. Stay warm! 🙂
(Sorry if my comments seem a bit jumbled, this morning. I’m still trying to kick-start this old brain of mine!)
Actually, Susan, this morning is the first time we’ve actually awoke to snow on the ground. Before it was just random snowflakes. Let me know if you read the Snow Child book and what you think. I am really loving it–so far. P.S. I am sure your brain is moving now!
Good morning to you! Have looked at this book a few times and it sounds
intriguing. I’m looking forward to hearing your final thoughts. Thinking about your comment to Deb and what it is like to be in darkness that deep and complete. It’s hard to experience that here, living so close to the cities. Have a lovely snow day Kathy! It’s funny, our hills are getting their first hints of green, the seasons seem to get a little confused here : )
Colleen, will try to remember to update you about the book. So far it is very intriguing. I am glad you read the exchange from Deb and me. It is hard to imagine such a darkness that you cannot see anything. This afternoon the sun is shining beautifully and the snow melts, melts, melts. It is almost blinding outside. I remember so loving California’s “confusion” of seasons.
Thank you for sharing the video. I’m cheating and sneaking a comment into an earlier post when I really wanted to wish you peace during your fallow time. I wish i could embrace those times of turning in as wonderfully as you do, but I struggle and fight and then lose the magic of the quiet time.
You are welcome, Lisa. You noticed, didn’t you?–or course you did–that I snuck the word “fallow” in again! 🙂 I actually do sometimes have a little bit of challenge turning inward for awhile as much of the energy is still directed outward. Then I have to sit still and feel all sorts of feelings which arise, some painful, some not. But slowly as the days unwind it feels like another deeper rhythm establishes itself. I would say that it’s normal to struggle and fight because we get so used to turning our energy outward. Then it’s more about becoming patient and know that “this too will pass” and then, only then, does the energy begin to inch toward that magic quieter space. Thank you, Lisa. I am embracing you in the beginning inklings of this peace.
The book sounds wonderful (because I love fairy tales of any kind), and you’re right about the video — pure delight! 🙂
The book was magnificent. I loved it. I am giving a copy to my most magical loving friend for Christmas. You must get a copy and prepare yourself to be transported, Robin.