The Crystal Carpet Ride~NewFoundland
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| The beautiful but possibly dangerous winter wonderland |
The Crystal Carpet Ride
by Bonnie Jarvis-Lowe
“Sunglasses, I don’t have my sunglasses!” I said to my husband as I finished searching the dozens of pockets in my snow gear, turning zippered pockets inside and out, but finding no dark eyeglasses.
We were ready to head into the country on our Skidoo to spend some time enjoying the outdoors and to visit our cabin. It would be at least an hour’s drive on a snow machine or a four-wheeler. The day was remarkable, brilliant, but bitterly cold, and the brightness of our Newfoundland winter wonderland would strain the eyes, and possibly even cause snow blindness.* I was well aware of this and it was why I was so distressed by not having my UV-filter glasses. Sun block and UV-filter eyeglasses are just as necessary on those winter days as they are on a sunny summer day.
Being a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, I did not give the sunglasses another thought. I was amazed by the beauty of the day. There was no wind, and the shadows of snow and ice formations on the bushes, trees, and rocks, all made for a phenomenal scene that took my breath away. Scenery like this would unfold before our eyes all during our ride. The magnificent beauty of our rugged land is unlimited, and exploring it is an experience I never tire of, always enjoy, and store in my memory bank, bringing it forth on stressful days or during times of frustration and hurt. The memories were soothing to the soul if you stored them carefully. And I did.
My belief that everything happens for a reason proved itself right that day. Without the tinted glasses I could see precisely what the true colours of Newfoundland and Labrador are in winter. I was in awe of the terrific vistas as we crossed a frozen pond finally reaching the open country. Once we arrived there, I saw the great expanse of pure white frozen land over which we would travel. A popular song in our province has a line that says, “Crossing the tundra land of Newfoundland,” and this looked like the tundra to me, even though the true tundra is much further north, near the tree-line of the Arctic.
The flat frozen snow-covered landmass looked heavenly. It was so different in winter without the pond lilies, the Pitcher Plants (our Provincial Flower that grow by the hundreds high on the open country), the mosquitoes, and patches of blueberries. Now the ponds were like mirrors with their cover of ice, giving a whole new but attractive appearance. The huge rocks, old tree stumps, and small trees, cast wonderful shadows on the white snow, while the taller trees stood guarding all they surveyed.
It was then I realized that the snow resembled a white carpet covered with sparkling crystals. Everything glistened, and the snow twinkled under the bright sun causing the whole snowy surface area to produce colours as would a prism, as the crystals glistened and shone with all the colours of the spectrum, depending on their size and position. Without tinted glasses everything was so clear, so splendid, and it was a sight unequalled by anything I had ever seen.
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| The Crystal Carpet |
The steady hum of the snow machine, the sound of the skis on the crusty snow, passing millions of snow crystals, seeing the pond’s ice cover reflecting its surroundings, was food for the soul. I realized how much we are given by Mother Nature, and how much we take it for granted. My husband carefully guided the Skidoo across the barren land, as I savoured my ride on the carpet of crystals. I allowed the glorious sight to embed itself deeply into my heart and soul.
Never had I had an experience such as this, and I never wanted the ride to end. The dreamlike feeling of being suspended in time and space, surrounded by priceless gems, is something I will never forget. Even some of the trees had crystal ice formations on their boughs which, as they reflected different colours, made them appear to be purposely decorated.
Nothing could ever rob me of this feeling of being back in my beloved Newfoundland again, and experiencing the sense of being a Newfoundlander, something that often was lost as I lived my busy working life, and raised a family, far from the shores of my own province.
Soon we were nearing our cabin. I glanced back at the frozen land, and the bejewelled carpet glistened and winked as if to say, “See you soon.” The whole experience of that day still lives in my heart, and always will.
I had ridden on a Skidoo, the ride of my life on a white carpet of crystals, a gift of nature, and priceless by any standards. I held in my heart a feeling that no amount of money could buy, nor was it for sale.
The memory of that day is wonderful, even more so because it is highly unlikely that I will ever expose my eyes to the stark, bright light, for that length of time again. From now on I will be sure I have my UV-filter glasses in a pocket for easy access.
Because my preparations to go were rushed I had tucked my protective eyeglasses in with other things, and that little lapse gave me a special memory to store for future use when the crystals of my life are not so bright.
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| Inuit goggles made from caribou antler. |
* Snow blindness is a painful condition, typically a KERATITIS caused by exposure of unprotected eyes to sunlight reflected from snow. This is especially a problem at high altitude and in polar regions. Snow blindness does not usually cause permanent vision loss. Resting the eyes in a dark room for several days will cause the pain and symptoms to disappear.
The Inuit carved goggles from Caribou Antler to help prevent snow blindness. The goggles were curved to fit the user’s face and had a large groove cut in the back to allow for the nose. A long thin slit was cut through the goggles to allow in a small amount of light. The goggles were held to the head by a cord made of caribou sinew. Today we have many types of goggles and eyeglasses to choose from, and they should be worn at all times to protect the eyes if you are travelling in snow covered regions.
Sun block is also a necessity because the reflected sunlight from the snow can cause a very painful sunburn, and possible scarring of the face. Be careful!
Bonnie Jarvis-Lowe is a retired Registered Nurse living in Shoal Harbour, Newfoundland, passionate about photography, writing and her family. She has two grown children and one granddaughter, who all live too far away from her in Alberta. An anthology of short stories called Up Til Now is available through www.shopdownhomer.com.
Date posted: Saturday, May 31st, 2008 10:20 am | Under category: Bioregional Overviews
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