On Embracing the Beauty in all Seasons: Mosquitos, Snow, and Everything In-between

A few weeks ago, I woke up at my usual ungodly (for most) 4:30 am. As I always do, I opened the curtains before heading downstairs. 

I looked outside and gasped, audibly. I kid you not. 

Snow!

Again.

This year, we first had snow on the ground on September 21st. And now it was May 18th. 

I love the snow, anytime, and I gasped because of the juxtaposition: the incredible beauty of snow under the midnight sun. 

Since moving north, the midnight sun has meant a shift in activities – a ritual that involves moving the skis and boots and snowshoes to the garage. Our hiking boots are prominently displayed at our front door – ready for action. Our bikes get tune ups. The bear spray, hiking poles, and bucket hats are ready for adventure. 

Recently our mudroom has been a purgatory of sorts. A limbo between winter and spring. A place where equipment of all sorts rests before the weather makes a decisive change. 

But this weekend? It was sunny. Hot and sunny, at that. 20 degrees Celsius which is practically blistering heat when you live in the north. The winter gear was given the good ol’ heave-ho. Into the garage it went!

Yukoners take advantage of the weather, whatever it might be. When the warm weather comes, though, the frenzy of activity is on another level. The season is short. Seize the day becomes the territory’s unofficial motto. 

So, on the first sunny day, you’d better believe I got out there (I mean, I do every day, no matter the weather, but this day felt special). I donned my summer clothes, packed my MSR pocket rocket, water, a camping pot, a blanket, a basket, and set out to forage for Labrador tea with Chilli and a friend in tow. 

No sooner did my friend and I start picking Labrador tea, when the mosquitos descended upon us. Like a biblical story of locusts, we were soon covered by the pesky little suckers (pun intended). 

That didn’t stop us, though. We enjoyed our tea in the woods. We sat on the moss, simultaneously sipping our tea and swatting at mosquitoes. 

Summer had arrived. 

Perhaps a little like life, each season brings a pest of sorts – mosquitos, -50-degree Celsius temperatures, thunder and lightning, snow in May. I’ve learned to embrace all of it, After all, each of these emerge with beauty unmatched only by the season ahead of it.

After all, mosquitos are a sign of summer, and if you’ve experienced a Yukon summer, you surely know its splendor.