SNOW

The great expanses of ice, Northern or Southern, disturb the sensory system. The monotony of the surfaces distorts the play of distance. You start to see silhouettes. You think you can make out a bear, but it is an Arctic hare. Mirages called fata morgana simulate mountainous coastlines. A small sled becomes a huge rocky peak. An entire building becomes a snowmobile. Everything seems both far and near. You hesitate. The snow is deceptive.

(Thinking Like an Iceberg, pp. 58-59)