As Christmas 2017 approached I found myself craving a scene on my wall that would bring the Christmas spirit to our high desert home. “Winter’s Welcome” was inspired by my childhood memories of familiar meadows turned white overnight, the crunch of snow under my boots, and my breath steaming in the frigid air. With every brush stroke I reminisced about the rosy faces of my brother and sister as our mother bundled us in layers of warmth, and the excited voices of our friends traveling to us across the meadow, hailing us to sledding competitions. When we could no longer feel our fingers and toes we would drag our soggy bodies to the nearest neighbor, shed our damp clothes and boots by the woodstove, and giggle over steaming mugs of hot cocoa and cookies while they dried. Then off with our sleds to another crispy white hill.