SNOW!

For a few days now the forecast has been calling for snow on Thursday. We didn't want to get our hopes up, but we kept checking the reports, and the likelihood just kept rising. First 30%, then 50%, then 60% was reported yesterday. Still, we didn't want to get too excited, but I admit that I kept checking the radar to see when/if rain clouds were coming our way.

We began the day, Jake going to school and me sitting down to do some work, but with a careful eye out the window every few minutes. Some of us were lazy and just trying to stay warm.

By 1:00pm the temperature was up to 42°F and we still didn't have rain, so I was beginning to think I'd just have to wait until real winter. We took a quick walk outside, some of us dressed in our finest fur coats, because 42°F is cold even without snow.

All puffed up.

We observed the clouds and looked at the tiny apples that are still clinging to the apple tree.

When the human one of us couldn't stand having cold hands anymore, we went back in but noticed that the clouds were changing.

The clouds got darker and darker and it seemed to be colder. And then, "Is that rain?" We went out onto the deck to investigate and it did seem to be rain. But hold on, some of the rain seemed to be blowing in a funny way, like it was light and bouncy. It swirled up and around instead of coming right down. Then this landed on the banister:

A tiny clump of ice. And then a bigger one:

And an even bigger one than that!

Then I could see them flying through the air and the cat freaked and ran back into the house. The wind blew and it came down harder and harder and the rain was completely replaced by huge fluffs.

The banister accumulated quite the collection.

It came down still harder and I was able to catch some good photos.

The whole time I was also video recording our first snow ever! (Yes, I have never seen snow except for on the ground.) This video is a little short, but it's the only one in which I managed not to squeal like a kid in the candy store. Yeah, I was pretty excited.

[If the video doesn't work, you can click this link to watch it on youtube.]

The snow is incredibly beautiful, huge fluffs just sailing through the air. When Jake was here in February he said that the falling snow was not at all what he expected. He said it reminded him of bird feathers, as if someone had popped a down pillow and all the feathers just floated out, swirling around in the air before slowly making their way down. That was a pretty accurate description, I think. Lovely.

Anyway, I'm sure we'll have much more and I can't wait!
Stay warm.