We haven’t had much of a winter in Israel (do we ever?), and for some reason, my thoughts have been turning to the real winter in the Northeast where most of my family and friends live. I’ve been singing “Let It Snow” to the kids at bedtime, and hearing with mingled amusement and envy about friends whose kids are home for snow days (though that envy has dissipated by the fifth straight snow day). There have been a couple of vaguely forecasted snow days for Efrat, but none have actually produced anything white.
While I have a few content-oriented posts percolating in my wee little brain, I am a bit mired down in transcribing and editing (my new stab at work). So in lieu of a real post, I’ll share with you some photos of my parents’ home and environs taken by my father in the last few days. Those of you in New England will roll your eyes in recognition, but for those of you on the West Coast, in Israel, or in the southern hemisphere, they may inspire a nostalgia for the winters of old (or never, as the case may be).
Note: Those who are familiar with Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day will recognize the name of the country home where it’s set, Darlington Hall, which is also my pet name for my parents’ house on 10 acres in southern Vermont.
Road to Darlington Hall
Darlington Hall from the road
The farm "next door"
Seeing these images makes me wonder if it wouldn’t be worth a trip back to the US in the winter sometime so the kids can see real snow, experience a cup of cocoa by a fireplace, and sled down the hill with their cousins. School, travel-adverse weather, and other things come in conflict with such a trip, but still, I wonder…
Shimshonit 
I love The Remains of the Day and these winter shots.
Wow! Now that’s a winter scene.