Time of the First Snow

Snow……up here in the north lands we silently start thinking that word to ourselves well before the first frost. Silently, slowly we start looking around…..thinking. Mentally, we draw up the lists. “To do. Must do. Must remember. Can’t forget.” We watch the summer birds leave, one..by..one. The days grow shorter and the nights have a crisp bite to them further signalling that “it” is coming. Apples, pears and plums ripen. Deer being embolden and venture down close to our houses eating everything they can find to store up fuel for the winter. And then comes the first frost. You wake up in the morning to grass that crunches underfoot and puddles with crisp crackling surfaces. In quick succession the frosts continue. Closer together. Deeper. Then daily and then the after noon sun no longer warms. The lists lengthen and the pace picks up. No longer silent, we speak aloud what needs to be tended. Pull the garden. Place the storm windows. Pack the shelters with straw. Set up the heated water buckets. Tons of Orchard Grass for the Alpacas stacked and covered. Find sweaters, jackets, hats and insulated boots. Patio furniture is stowed. Chimney cleaned. Cords of wood stacked. Snow tires on. Oil changed in the cars, trucks and tractor. Ice melt bought. Snow shovels out. The lists go on and on and as fast as we work, there is always more to be done. And finally we openly discuss when. This month? Next month? This week? Looking upwards we speak, ” those look like snow clouds.” And ” the air smelled like snow this morning.” And for us Northeners, yes, we can smell the change and know when snow is coming. We first see it on the tallest of mountain peaks and quietly acknowledge it with each other at the grocery store, the bank, the feed store and wherever else we gather.  No other season announces itself  so dramatically as does snow and winter.

And then one night we go to sleep only to wake up the next morning to find there is no more time to prepare. This was our world at 6am Friday morning, November 3rd.

SNOW

The willow tree that provided our only shade during our blistering hot summer magically transformed into this winter beauty.

 The Hawthorn thickets on the lower hill where the deer have bedded down.

Our unfinished and unlived in house still offers a warm glow.

“Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, how lovely are your branches.” The tiniest of rose glow off in the distance heralds the start of a new day.

My beloved Mount Elizabeth remains stunning but now foreboding and no longer entices me to climb. The pasture gate telling me that I’d better have gloves on.

Our new neighbors just turned their lights on. Animal tracks meandering the yard.

Snow can just stun us with its own beauty.

The tree is still loaded with brilliant red crabapples. Full of nourishment for Bohemian Waxwings, Turkey and Quail. So gorgeous it made me gasp!

The Road Less Traveled takes on a whole new perspective as the seasons change. This is not a black and white image. Just the way it looks in the early morning light. If you look at The Journey Girl Facebook Page, you can see just how different snow has changed this picture.

The snow came early this year. A full month early according to history. And with it came cold temperatures with a vengeance. 16°. 18°. Never above 25° and that doesn’t look as if it will change until mid week when hopefully we will get up in the 30’s. It’s still snowing. Our gazebo collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow. But it is what it is and we adapt just as those who live in the land of hurricanes and tornadoes. The barn cats are wandering happily all over the yard. The dogs are rolling in it and chasing each other around. The Alpacas are hunkered down in their straw filled shelters. Sparky is finishing insulating his workshop in anticipation of long winter days working on projects. And I…..am sitting here in my co-pilots seat in our motor home typing away wearing hand knit fingerless gloves made from Alpaca yarn. A cup of orange spice tea at hand. No, we were not ready for snow. Yes, we have so much more to do before we can move into the new house. Fingers crossed that the new plumbing won’t freeze before the furnace is finished being installed. Yes, the plumbing did freeze in the motor home but a little heat tape fixed that one. But, it is all good in my world up here in the back of the beyond. I love living here where we have all 4 seasons even if once in a while a season arrives rather unexpectedly.

Thank you for stopping by today friends. I love sharing my life and my journeys with you all. In whatever the season of your life, I wish you joy and the eyes to see beauty around you and a thankful heart.

Journey On!

Hugs and much love from me,

Karen, TJG

PS: Please stop by my website at www.thejourneygirl.com and leave me a comment. I love hearing from you all!