First Snow of 2004

Another surprise greeted me this morning when I awoke. As I reported yesterday, the weather around here was supposed to warm up and the rains were scheduled to return last night. I fully expected that all the snow we had accumulated yesterday (about 1-2 inches) would have been gone by this morning.

It started snowing again during the night at some point, and we now have about 8 inches of snow with more forecasted for this evening!

This is a bit unusual for Southern Washington State. We certainly have our share of precipitation, but it's usually the wet stuff. So when snow does come our way, we all get pretty excited because it doesn't last long. We live close enough to the ocean that the marine air shifts frequently, and we don't have long lasting cold or heat waves.

As usual, the girls were thrilled when I threw open the door this morning and they saw all the snow! The snow is so deep that they have a hard time running in it, falling over each other. But soon they are back on their feet (or paws as it were), running to beat the band!

It truly looks like a winter wonderland. The pictures above are of my front yard, taken from my living room window.

I love the night time especially when it snows. The evergreen boughs are laden with the white snow and look beautiful with the contrast of green and white colors. The fence posts around my yard look like they are topped with little white Afro's, and the delicate limbs of my Magnolia tree are outlined in a fine but thick sprinkling of snow.

Somehow the snow seems to act like an insulation of sorts, quieting an otherwise noisy and bustling world. Although it is cold the snow blankets the earth and protects some of its young like the tiny spring crocus that are just starting to break through the cold ground.

Luckily, I don't have to worry about commuting to work tomorrow. Please be careful for those of you who do. Although it is beautiful to look at it can be treacherous, and we have a lot of stories to share this year!