First Flake

I must admit, with a certain sorrow, that I did not capture the first snowflake of this coming winter season on video.  You see, we received our first valley snowfall last night.  The first snowflake fell not far from me yesterday afternoon.

An amazing flake, that one.

Perhaps you recall Michael Jordan, the famous basketball player.  Michael seemed to hang in the air and nimbly twist and turn with something near immunity from gravity when making a jump-shot.  I often joked that while most players sprang and shot while at the peak of their jump, Michael Jordan jumped, wrote a note to his coach, weaved through the offence, wiped his brow, twisted a bit, and then fired off a swishing shot before landing again.  Astounding!

I have never seen anyone else that compares to Jordan.

But I witnessed Jordan-like traits in that first flake of winter snow I saw yesterday at John Colley’s house as I stood looking out his French doors.

Broad as my thumb and sparkling, the flake angled at me from someplace near the swing-set in the yard.  I nearly jumped back with shock when I first saw the flake.  Just as I noticed the flake angling toward me, it swooped upward, took off sideways for a bit, dropped, and then finally flung itself against the window.   I watched the flake slide down the glass and gradually turn into a fine bead of water.

Imagine a whole storm of flakes like that one coming at you!

--Mitchell Hegman