Winter’s Bite

There’s something about surviving a true Pocono winter that feels like earning a quiet badge of honor.

This past month, the snow didn’t flirt — it committed. It showed up early, stayed late, and made itself comfortable on our cars, porches, and occasionally inside our boots. The wind had opinions. The driveway needed shoveling again. And just when we thought we’d cleared the steps? Another powdery surprise overnight.

But here in the Pocono Mountains, we don’t just endure winter — we participate in it.

We layer up like professionals. We debate the superiority of different snow shovels. We text our neighbors about road conditions and then check on them anyway. Kids rediscover that sledding is better than WiFi. Dogs lose their minds in fresh drifts. And somewhere between brushing off the car for the fifth time in one week and watching smoke curl from a chimney at dusk, we remember: this is what cozy was invented for.

Winter has a way of simplifying things. The landscape turns monochrome and suddenly the important colors are inside — candlelight, soup simmering on the stove, the deep red of a favorite blanket (or wine, no judgment). We move a little slower. We gather a little closer. We wave more often because everyone understands the shared effort of just getting through the day.

Surviving a month like this isn’t just about resilience. It’s about rhythm. About remembering that seasons turn — always. Beneath the snow, the ground is preparing. The waterfalls are waiting. The porches will reopen. Mud season will arrive (and yes, we’ll lovingly complain about that too).

For now, take a moment. You made it through the deep freeze. You navigated the storms. You kept the fire lit — literally or metaphorically.

And if that’s not Pocono tough, what is?