Every year, my husband and I spend one week of February in Vermont. We think of it as a visit to winter, since Virginia rarely provides the kind of consistent cold and snow we love, the kind that encourages cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on mountain trails. Last year it snowed almost every day, and I got lots of practice on my skis. This year was different. When we crossed the line into Vermont, the temperature was 58˚. During our first night it poured rain but by morning the landscape was frozen solid, so we were staring out the window at ice-coated trees. Over the next few days we took a couple afternoon hikes in dismal rain and mist, but the snow that had accumulated before our arrival had turned into hard icy chunks. On our last day we attempted to pole walk along a sunny riverside trail with temperatures in the teens and gusts of wind reaching 30 miles an hour. A little too invigorating! We decided to get our exercise in the indoor pool. And thankfully our apartment had a view of the mountain valley and a gas fireplace. We curled up in comfy chairs and caught up on our reading. On winter vacations, it’s important to be flexible!