Kirsten's surprise

IThe autumn weather had lasted into December this first winter for Kirsten and her family on Uncle Olav's farm; while the steam is frozen and they need to melt ice for water, there is little snow. But Kirsten's father often points to the geese flying south, insisting that the winter would be very cold and much colder than it had back in been in Sweden. But Kirsten thinks that the snow on the pine looks like sugar.