Monday, December 11, 2006

Winter Wonderland

Watching the national weather brings back chilly and fond memories of winters in Maryland and Delaware. Living in a warmer climate now, I must admit that I long for a little snow. My friends up north will say to me, "Mary, you are insane!" But guys, I said, "a little snow!". Watching it fall gets me excited. Can't help it. Although I am way too mature now, I turn childlike whenever the white stuff starts falling. My childhood winters were spent sledding all day and into the darker hours in a sloping alley of a Baltimore row home. Euphoria! My brother and I, and the neighborhood kids, spent hours outside, from morning till night, only forced to come inside to pee, eat a little, and to change into dry clothing. Mom had the dryer tumbling all day long.

Tucked away on my old Gateway CPU are strikingly gorgeous photos of the Blizzard of '03, when in just 24 hours, we were blanketed by 20 inches. The pond had a heater ready to provide a drinking fountain for the feathery flying friends and I dug my way to the feeders right away to provide a sanctuary for them. Flocks of bluebirds, red wing blackbirds, doves, cardinals, and various others who were thirsty and hungry arrived on my pond. They skated across the ice to find a cold drink, while I snapped away. The amazing sunrises and sunsets on the Delaware flat land cast breathtaking shadows on it all. It's my goal to get these photos loaded into a new flash drive by the end of January and share them. I am dying to see them again.

Almost two years ago, while living in Delaware, we had an average snowfall - nothing to brag about, really. Before it started coming down in large, fat flakes, I rounded up the boots, gloves, hats, and made sure I had hot chocolate in the pantry. Checked the inventory of shovels. It's just so beautiful!

My last snowfall, January '05. The following day, I left Delaware for Wilmington, NC to visit Gina and I remember the outside thermometer in my car reading 4 degrees when I drove through Norfolk. See the BT? That's Bella.

The Boston bellies need protection from the frosty cold, so Michael and I were always out with the shovels to clear a nice path for them. Chloe pees first, then Bella.

The pond through the window. Waterfall keeping places unfrozen.


Does Michael miss the shoveling? I think NOT. Not at all!

Snow. Quiet. Sparkling around the lamp post. Sounds like tiny ice chips tickling your windows.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now I understand why you said snow is very familiar to you. Children love snow and adults get cynical because of commuting nightmares and shovelling. Keep your joy!

Mary said...

Ruth, I've been cynical about it. Snow wrecks your plans, creates cabin fever, and turns dirty when it's done. But it's so lovely when it pays a visit.

Jayne said...

The only real snow we've had here was the blizzard of 1993. Sam was only 7 or 8 months old, and we had a foot of snow fall in Tennessee, a place where half an inch shuts down the town for days. You can imagine both our excitement and dismay. :c)

Mary said...

Ruth - if you check in again...I haven't been able to post a comment on your site & I've been trying since last night. Blogger is being nasty to me :(

Mary said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jayne said...

I haven't been able to post to Ruth's blog either. It keeps telling me my username and password is incorrect??

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful post! I feel cheated- up here in Minnesota we should have snow by now, but it's raining today!
Love the snowy picture of your pond through the window! :)

Anonymous said...

Ok Mary, how about when we get the first big one I pack up a cooler of snow on dry ice and you get your dear hubby to throw it off the roof....it's pretty for the first 10 minutes and then I have to walk the dogs, fall and bust my bum, break the ice on the horse and goat trough, fall and bust my bum, fill the bird feeders, fall and bust my bum, bring in firewood for the stove,fall and bust my bum...can you tell how much I love the stuff? Thank goodness I have a rather amply if somewhat bruised bum! The pictures are nice but you can have the snow!

Mary said...

Jane, LOL! I've busted my bum many times but I forget about that! I busted my bum on an icy parking lot at work once and fell so fast I didn't know what happened. My car keys flew out of my hand and I found them...they had slid about 25 yards away... It was a pathetic morning. LOL!

LauraHinNJ said...

I'm hoping for a big one this winter. It's going to be almost 60 degrees tomorrow, so I'll have to keep waiting.

Susan Gets Native said...

I have been having fits with Blogger comments, too.

I am so glad I'm not a dog. Our toilet seat gets cold enough. Can't imagine squatting in the snow.

entoto said...

I love to see your pond! More pond!

You can come see me for snow, although, we haven't had that much yet this year. It's probably all waiting for March, you know, when we all feel it should be done.