We got snow on the 28th of December 2007. It has been odd. However, I do have a photo of Larry on the roof with a shovel in December 2000.
Below is a hood ornament I thought belonged on Phil's car. I love the way the camera captures the sparkle of the snow as it falls from the clouds. Cassandra, always my snow baby shoveled the drive, for fun. Above is my still life: Hollyhocks in snow. Below is another still life: Frozen Hoop.
We got snow, again. The first snow this season came the night before Thanksgiving. I drove through about 10 miles of the 'tunnel' snow anyone who has ever driven in Winter at night would recognize.
The next morning Cassie and I came back to the East side of the state through the most beautiful hilly patchworked white-on-white landscape I could have imagined. There were still clouds to the East. There was just enough snow to cover the ground, but not the color of the field beneath it. God must have had 5 gallons of white paint and 2 drops of all the other colors of this world that morning.
Most of the snow was gone on our return trip. Again, beautiful hilly fields and rock of variations of browns, golds and greens.
Above is a picture I took today of the height of the snow out side of our front door. The stoop is a step down from the storm door threshold. The snow is no longer a step down from the storm door threshold. I don't clean up the flower beds in the fall. I leave the cone flowers, wild sunflowers and the Japanese lanterns for the birds who over winter. It also defines the walkway, should I wish to shovel it. The blue spruce was given to Cassie when she was a preschooler by her Uncle Brian for Audubon day. That was the only year it was shorter than her. The light pole behind the top of the tree is about 15 feet behind it. I took the picture about 15 feet from it and about 8 feet above ground level. Do the math to figure out the height of the tree. Above is the view outside of my front door. Click on the brush to the forefront to see the Winter colors of the Nanking cherry bush against the needles of the neighbor's spruce (?) trees.
Below is a view of the power pole without a bunch of utility guys in the yard. I was able to push open the porch storm door just enough to take this pic. Maybe someone should shovel the porch? Noooo who am I kidding. It will melt in April.
I love the subtle color contrasts of the trees in the neighbor's yard. Summer has so much intensity that the small visual differences are overwhelmed. Click on the pic and you should see the snow flakes falling from the sky.
Larry came home from work about an hour before I took this pic. Phil came home about 4 hours before him. You can see it is a snow just around the freeze point by comparing the snow on the cars.
I decided today was not a productive day for me to be at work, so I came home and worked on a much needed nap. I was disturbed by someone ringing the doorbell, which I ignored and was woken by a chill. Phil explained on his way out the door to school, that the power had been cut and he might be parked in.
I was up anyway... so I took the opportunity to investigate with a camera. It is taking all the restraint I have not to start up with the 'how many guys does it take to...' ramblings, so I will end now and let the pics tell the story.
This is after supper and just before Cassie went back into the dorms. Phil came along and was good company on the way home. Cassie called today and said she got in a good nights sleep. Good. She had a very busy weekend.
Dad has been having shortness of breath for about a month. It finally became enough of an issue to seek medical attention. Above is one of his daughters giving him an earful for not calling her about it. Below are two other daughters and a grand daughter. The fourth daughter was the one who got him to the hospital. She was doing soccer mom duty. We will all feel much better once all the test are done and the results are in. This should take a few days. Dad is anxious to be home.