Flurries

Time lapse at the wood pile

 It is 8 pm in the sweet yellow house and both kiddos have been asleep for 15 minutes. Three feet of snow will wear a fella out! The school room has become our winter headquarters. It is far too cold in there of a morning these days to even consider an attitude of study.  Easy access to a winter wonderland in the back makes it the best spot ever to throw down gloves, boots, coats, hats and ski bibs.  

Walking "the path"

 Mrs. Beth told me that I should really get my kids some snow pants back in October. "Target has them, and they're cheap!" I am loving Mrs. Beth right now. Mr. Sean and Mrs. Kathy let us know when the sleds became available. And we're loving all our neighbors right about now! We got a prime initiation into Northern Virginia living this weekend. 

Howdy!

 Mrs. Linda and Mr. Howard live right at the end of our street. Today, a few folks in the neighborhood found out that Mr. Howard had been in the hospital and Mrs. Linda couldn't get out of her house. And the next thing we saw as we prepared to go down were neighbors with snow blowers and shovels and gas cans and children converging on Mrs. Linda's snow-covered lawn. Within an hour, it was done. The drive was clear, walkways to doors and trash cans were clear and even the vent for the dryer was uncovered. 

Rewind to Friday.  As the first flakes began to fall, Mrs. Tracey responded to a frantic text with a knock at the front door. She was over for some time (time out of her busy day) helping us allay our fears of the coming storm and giving good advice on how to prepare. It's been such a blessing to come together with new friends and neighbors to play and work and serve each other.  

Dark-eyed Junco below our feeder

The western view from the back of the house over a big drift

Like a kid, I had my nose pressed to the glass more than once Friday night into Saturday morning. It was hard to sleep! The whole snowy scene was lit from high above the clouds by an almost-full moon. There are no words for the pristine stillness and beauty we woke to on Sunday. The full moon hung huge and golden just above Mount Weather. With no road traffic and no air traffic - no noise save the wind through snow-laden boughs- it seemed as if we were the only people alive on the earth in those early-morning hours.

Cypress and pines on the western end of our property

 The only thing to muss the blanket of powder were the tiny tracks of chick-a-dees, juncos, wrens, sparrows and finches at the feeder. 

All total, we had 33" of powder with drifts close to 6' on the southwestern side of the house.

View from Jonathan's window

View from Melanie's window

View from the sitting area in the dining room

Another view of our yard (to the left). I was standing on the road here taking this photo.

 Sunday morning brought treks to big hills in deep, deep snow with friends. The sledding wasn't great, but the company sure was!

Mooooooooommmmm!!!!

Rear view of the house in the snow

 Since we happened to be sledding in front of a friend's/ neighbor's house, and since they came out to join us, and since one sweet five-year-old resident of said house suggested we all go in and have hot chocolate, well, we all went in and had hot chocolate. What fun!

No swinging today!

Trekking home after fun indoors and out with our friends/neighbors

I believe it is safe to say, our first winter in Virginia as a family of four will not ever be forgotten!