the dusting

Yes, we are southerners.
Yesterday was my planned day to go to the grocery store for the week. When they announced on the news at lunch that Wake County was cancelling afterschool activities, Bobby looked at me and said "You better get on to the store now."  And he was right.
I parked at the very end of the parking lot (think malls at Christmas time), and was expecting the bread and milk to be almost gone (which they weren't, thanks to the bread and milk men making a new delivery). That evening I was telling my mother-in-law about it, and she said, "Oh, you know Tuesday is senior citizen day. That's why everyone was there, for there discount."  So now Bobby wants to go grocery shopping on Tuesdays. Sorry buddy-o, but I'm not there yet. I'm not fighting a huge crowd for a discount they won't give me anyway. I'll stick to my shop on the day I need to go plan.

And at 6:30pm, we turned on our floodlights so we could see the snow when it began to fall. And when it had changed over from rain to snow enough to officially call it "snowing", he sent e-mails to all the kids who've been talking to him the last month about their prayers for snow. :)

I've enjoyed seeing pics on Facebook this morning, and we're laughing a little that the snow was so light that Bobby was actually able to go out in his wheelchair and get the newspaper without any problems whatsoever (which would be impossible in anything more than a dusting), and vehicles are flying by on our dirt road (which would be frozen mud if we'd had a true snow). In a few hours, we'll head out for our day's appointment, get home this evening, and then venture back out to church.

Shakespeare could have written his play "Much Ado About Nothing" about snow in the south, but I'd much prefer a title like "When Hope Springs Eternal".  There's something about that childhood fervor of desperately desiring this thing called snow and being amazed once you finally see it. It is mesmerizing, and I wouldn't trade our southern snow for anything.

And after being stuck in the horrendous icing that happened in 15 minutes around 2pm a few years back, I now understand the panic behind the prediction of snow or precipitation and freezing weather. Gridlock and on the interstate and wrecked police and tow trucks? No thank you!

snow!

my first ipod video!
Of course, now that I've figured out how to take the video and upload it to the computer, the ground is now covered and it's coming down nicely! I might have to post another one later today!

winter wonderlands

God's modern art

the pond drain...water is still seeping in, despite the ice!

I love how the wind froze the water in waves!

walking on water

What is this? Where's the water?

Is this stuff safe to walk on?

For the second time in 10 years, the pond has 98% frozen across the surface. (The geese keep one small section water by leaving two swimming at all times.) It was interesting to see that one end is frozen solid at the edges, while the side near the dam is water at the edge and 1/4" thick about a foot's width out. I love the patterns and being able to see clearly what is beneath and the brighter reflection of the moon on the ice. While my favorite season is spring, the starkness of winter is one of the many things I enjoy about this season (2nd to Christmas, of course!)