Playtime in the Pines

The entire Paradise in the Pines community had gathered at the huge, central meadow to take advantage of the unprecedented, but welcome, 30 inches of fresh snow that had fallen overnight. The clear, crisp air rang with the laughter of children and adults, interspersed with excited barking.

Snow forts had appeared, guarded by stoic sentinels made of three spherical parts, and manned by small soldiers in colorful snow suits. Barrages of glistening, white projectiles flew to meet sorties from behind the walls, finding victims that collapsed in mirthful laughter on the field. Casualties counted off the required seconds, then rose, resurrected, to race back to safety.

The sun shone down merrily on the mock carnage as parents bore witness and occasionally added a few well-placed artillery rounds of their own, to balance the score. As tradition demanded, there would be no losers in this battle.

A sudden, soft gust coaxed a small whirlwind to life in the center of the meadow. Unnoticed at first, it grew quickly into a tall, but slowly rotating cyclone that sparkled as it carried snow crystals skyward.

As if a switch was flipped, refracted sunlight suddenly streamed out in dozens of brilliant, multicolored beams. Everything and everyone in the meadow was bathed in dancing color and light, intense, but somehow not blinding.

The spectacle was gone as suddenly as it started. Awestruck parents stood in wonder. The children grinned, waving surreptitiously at their fairy friends hiding, giggling, among the tall trees.