Snow Day

My Canadian friend Kathy read a bunch of my Facebook posts on Wednesday and commented, "Man, and I thought CANADIANS talked a lot about the weather!"

She's totally correct.

I am SLIGHTLY obsessed with the snow and we had a huge snowfall on Wednesday.

Most of my friends in New York are DONE with the snow, thank you. They've seen it, they've lived it, they've shoveled it and now they would like for it to go.  I'm more in the, "Oh my gosh!  It's so pretty!  Look at how funny the dogs are in it! Glad I filled the bird feeders!  Look at the size of those flakes! Look at HOW MUCH snow there is!  Look at ALL OF THAT SNOW!" phase. I know it will probably pass, but for right now, there is no more enthusiastic Long Islander about the snow. (Actually, I may be the ONLY enthusiastic Long Islander about the snow.)

I think it's just that this is the first time I've ever lived with seasons --the first time I've ever had real winters.  This is really the first time that I understand the complete and utter rebirth and renewal that happens in the Spring.  In Austin, the seasons (both of them) sort of slide into each other without much change, which is nice, especially in February when it's 80 degrees outside. This is different and beautiful and feeds the soul in a whole different way. This will be my last post about the snow, I promise. (Theoretically.) (Hopefully.)

(Maybe.)

Ladies and Gentlemen, for your entertainment and possible derision, I spent Wednesday documenting our Snow Day in photographs.  I was sort of going to do a "live blogging" of the whole thing but then I got called by the Siren Call of the Nap and well, here it is several days later and I'm still kind of groggy.

I got up at 7:00, which is also called "Barb Sleeping In" by people who know me well.  I've been fighting an upper respiratory infection and not sleeping very well.  The pets actually let me have an extra hour, although I think my Edward kitty did it out of remorse because he'd thrown up on my bed in the night. (Nice.)

Anyway, I got up and immediately took some pictures of the snow coming down because...well, there was JUST SO MUCH OF IT.

Cool and kind of artsy shot showing the snowfall at 7:23 AM AND my incredibly sophisticated hoodie-over-the-nightgown attire AT THE SAME TIME.

Glad I filled those feeders!

Wow, our grill table looks like it's wearing a gnome hat!

And then I started my usual full-time job, which is Official Doorman to the Pets.

Here's Edward, who is really convinced he wants to go out...

...until he realizes that white stuff is SNOW (LOOK HOW MUCH OF IT WE GOT!) and turns away in disgust.

The puppy, Austin, is very excited about being out! In! The! Snow!! 

Scout?  Not so excited.  Not so much with going outside, actually.

Well?  Are you Coming!? Out?! Into?! The?! Snow?!

Edward thinks HE might. (We use the laundry room door when it's snowing because it has a tile floor.)

"I SAID, I was THINKING about it."

Cat on Pause.

Meanwhile, Jane (10), who has strep throat, is up and already blogging about her trip to the Urgent Care Center the night before.

Her readers want to know about it and she's very responsive to her public, you know.

It's not looking so good for going to my yoga class today so I light my meditation candle. (Yes, it's in the kitchen.  What?)

These are my yoga frogs, which is sort of an inside joke with my yoga instructor, who has this much verbally-abused frog in his studio.  My New Year's resolution is to develop a home yoga practice, so I bought some frogs for when I set up my space.

It's actually REALLY an inside joke because my yoga instructor isn't, you know, AWARE of it.

Snuck in a little cuddle with Edward.

While I am trying to coax Jane into eating something (my OTHER full-time job,) I walk past my dishwasher,  which needs unloading.

LALALALA, I can't see you sitting there...all ready to be unloaded.  Can't you see I am busy letting the dogs in and out?

Jane plays with Edward, who has a serious case of cabin fever.

Dang it. 

I bake bread instead. (Finished product shown above.  Because I forgot to take pictures during the process.)

(Also?  I unloaded the dishwasher.  No pics there either, mercifully.)

Time to build a fire.

Coop begins the snow removal process.

Dogs begin to coat themselves and my floors with as much snow as possible.

It makes me laugh that Austin will put his entire head into the snow. 

Not to mention the rest of him.  I mean, he's not wearing PANTS --don't you think that would be kind of cold?

Coop breaks out the snow thrower on the driveway.

Since I can't go to yoga (not that I'm bitter) I grab a shovel and start to help. (Well, er, I grab a shovel and start to help after Coop suggests it.)

Clearing the front walkway and stairs.

It's a good workout, if not quite the Zen feeling I was after.

It does occur to me that our driveway is way too freaking long and steep.  And there is a LOT of snow.

The dogs do not care.

Okay, I could go on and on about this (with pictures) but I'll spare y'all. Suffice to say that there was sledding:

More bread baked:

Went with the Giant Loaf approach after the two smaller loaves disappeared quickly. (The Giant Loaf requires that you use a knife to cut slices, as opposed to just pulling huge hunks off as you pass...)

a Cardinal at the feeder:

As always, you can click to embiggen.

and a big ole pot of chili.

 

It was a darn good day.