The weather turned last night. It had been in the 70s for a week. This morning, it barely made freezing. By 10 it was snowing. Oh, it wasn’t hard like the blizzard two weeks ago, but it was steady. It is a wet cold, seeping into the bones and joints, everything aches. By noon, it was positively chilling. Then the teapot began to whistle. “hot water” it said. Into the mug went the water, over the teabag. It was hard to wait. After six minutes I hold the steaming mug, too hot to drink, but wonderful still. The aroma is full and a little sweet, smelling like Christmas. It is peppermint. Soon I sip. The warmth fills my mouth, the scent my nose. With the first swallow, the warmth spreads down my throat and out through my chest. The aches diminish, the chill abates at least for a while.

As a poem, perhaps…

The weather turned last night

It had been unseasonably hot for days

It barely makes freezing today

It began to snow, not like the last blizzard

But steady and light, sneaking through cracks

A wet cold aching in the bones and joints

By noon, positively chilling

Then the teapot began to whistle

“Hot water” it proclaimed

Into the mug went the water

Over the teabag

It is hard to wait

After six minutes I hold the steaming mug

Too hot to drink, but wonderful still

Full and sweet, it smells like Christmas

It is peppermint and soon I sip

Warmth fills my mouth

The scent my nose

On the first swallow warmth spreads

down my throat and through my chest

The aches diminish, the chill abates

At least for a little while