The first real snow (beyond a dusting) of the year or season is always special. It can be the last moment for weeks or months when the ground is visible. Yesterday’s 8 inches of snow was perfect in that it was enough to blanket our sleeping gardens with a fluffy layer. It is best viewed early before cars or plows come by to appreciate the perfect undulating quilt of frozen water that coats the landscape. During these times it is quiet and peaceful as the falling snow accentuates the inherent still filling the air. A lone walker trudges back up the hill scuffling on her way to a warmer destination is the only distraction.
But once the snow stops its descent, everything changes. The birds emerge hitting the bird feeders with manic intensity. The aptly named snowbirds hop on the snow, marring its uniformity. A plow comes down the street clearing the way, cars start to appear and the magic of the moment is no longer.
