The S word

The winds of change may have arrived this week. Yesterday morning I had the windows open upstairs as I did laundry, and vacuumed the upstairs. By four in the afternoon I was putting on a sweater. The P68 in the living room even popped on for a bit that evening.
This year it has seemed like a really warm fall. Part of this may be true, and part of it may be new windows, doors, and added insulation we added this past spring. Our pellet stove has usually gone on in September and has used up two plus tons of pellets at this point. I can think of three, maybe four, times that it has come on at all, and it has only been briefly, so far. Of course, right on cue, it popped on as I was typing this...
The last few days we have had alternating forecasts saying flurries, clear and cold, or the S word- snow!
I grew up in Colorado so I am not a stranger to snow. But, contrary to popular opinion it does not snow much on the front range where we lived, and it doesn't last long- usually a day or two and then melts.
Moving to New England was a wake up call. We moved right after Christmas and snow was on the ground. They had said it came early that year so they didn't get to finish raking up leaves, and it still stayed until nearly May!
I have a love hate relationship with snow. This time of the year I romanticize it a bit. I look forward to making snow angels, going ice skating, and playing with the dog. That will change quickly with shoveling, and tramping out to the greenhouse three times a day for eggs and to give the girls unfrozen water!



Last year was a real test. It snowed on Tuesday and Friday, with an occassional small flurry or two in between. I think I put more gas in the snow blower than I put in my car over the winter!





I was at a meeting with the selectmen to set our tax rate today, and as often comes up the driveway plowing was discussed. We have a weird little town that works driveway plowing into the taxes. There is a ton of discussion about whether it's advisable or even legal, but we have done it for years... My feelings- get rid of it. Not that I wouldn't LOVE to have someone plow my driveway- but, the fact is that even though I pay for it in my taxes and a plow driver does drive past my house at some point...







They rarely if ever do more than a single swipe with their blade right by the road, and more often they shove the big pile of snow right in front of my garage creating even more work than if we had no one do it all!








Of course, hubby is on pins and needles waiting for it to snow. His life long dream of doing ski patrol will become reality once we finally get some white stuff on the mountain! Plus he has some new skis to try out. Someone finally convinced him that his 1980 210's were just a little too long and geezerish for him to have any credibility on the slopes!
Then there is the business. Pellets were in super high demand this year, and the longer it stays warm the better off we'll be...
I love snow at Christmas. Trekking through the snow covered woods to get a Christmas tree, and the decorative lights reflecting off of the snow and ice.





Nothing beats a bright red cardinal in fresh fallen snow! But, since we spend Thanksgiving at the beach, I prefer it to wait until December.






The malapuppy loves the snow! You cannot get him inside the house when it snows. He just curls up in a little ball and accumulates a nice warm snow blanket. He loves to follow in our path (read- ride on the back of our skiis) as we go cross country skiing around the yard.








Snow shoeing is something I want to try this year.











Our friends have a ski hill in their back yard and Art has a great time with his friend and their kids going up the rope tow, then down through the trees as fast as they can!
I do love the seasons, and think I would miss them terribly if we ever left New England.

So bring it on!