My gaze was pasted to the serene icy forest, as the feel of this winter paradise warmed my heart and made my insides melt. I was stimulated by the smell of pine wafting through the air. The pond looked like a perfect slate of natural glass, and I slowly crouched down to touch it. As I leaned over, I could feel the frost dissolving into my face, my cheeks overflowing with a pink hue. I touched the ice with my tiny, grubby hand, and the perspiration from my pal stuck my hand to the frozen pond. How do those little fish breathe down there, I wondered? How do they survive in such harsh conditions? Did every fish turn into a frozen fish stick during the winter, or was there some way for them to keep warm? I imagined a fish’s world to be one like in the Little Mermaid: bright, blue, and beautiful. Everyone makes such a fuss about fish in the summer, but what about the harsh winter months?

I gazed up at the trees, wondering about those fat squirrels that were safe inside their homes, nestled away for the winter. ‘I sure wish I could sleep all winter,’ I thought. I could picture all the squirrels in the family huddled close together, their fireplace burning bright all winter long. I felt sorry for the birds, wishing they could experience the wondrous tranquility of nature that I felt in that moment. My experience in this winter wonderland made me realize that some of the greatest wonders of the world could be right in your backyard.