Strong currents of whirling wind continue to blow here in Nebraska. But right now, while the wind furiously bats at my windows and plays with our garbage cans (lost one today--who knows where the wind threw it) I remain inside, inundated not with snow but with work! My wonderful and brilliant colleague, Joy Castro (read her blog!) calls it being "in the weeds." It's a good image: prickly, engulfing weeds.
I did learn another good word this week that connects with the image of being surrounded or buried in weeds: the subnivian zone (also spelled subnivean). This past weekend, for just a bit, the temps rose (wow--the 50s!) and the mountain of snow disintegrated quickly, revealing patches of green grass and green plants. How could that be? Crusty, freezing snow would have surely burned the green tufts to a stubbly brown. Enter the subnivian zone!
This illustration reveals how deep in the bottom layers of snow, pockets and trails lead to very warm (up to 50 degrees warmer) comfortable living areas for vegetation and small mammals. Voles, grouse, mice, bunnies--all remain comfortably warm in the midst of snowstorms and blizzards.
And so, with this image in mind--I say that I am hidden, working hard, in the subnivian zone these days. With campus visitors, teaching, papers, administrative documents to write, faculty meetings to organize--I am, as the illustration reveals--in the depth hoar, below the hoarfrost. What great words! So it's back to work I go and I wish for you a warm night!
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