Beauty and the Blizzard of '17

The wind blows the falling snow almost horizontally.  

Hunker down in one's hopefully heated home?  Better, I think, to get out into it and enjoy the stark beauty.

For those who cannot appreciate the magnificence brought by the blowing snow, scroll down to see the indisputable splendor of others well adapted to the situation.

I love to ski in gentle breezes.
Don't you?

A frozen moment of a view toward the trees through driven flakes.

Drift ridges begin to form.

The cumulative effect of the flakes obscures the distant trees
like a frigid fog.

Like underwater sand, the snow is shaped into ridges.

But why in one place and not another?

What unseen flow caused this pattern?

The shelter of a large tree makes appreciation much easier
as the wind whistles past.

The wind is too strong for the trees to catch much snow.

"There is no bad weather," a man once told me.
"There is only bad clothing."
That he was a salesman does not make it any less true.
Yes, I should have worn my ski goggles.

Debris is still visible from the near hurricane-strength windstorm
we experienced last week.
I'm glad I'm not one of those still without power.
Life is never boring.

More ridges.

More snow.
Visually peaceful, even with the high energy wind.

I met some friends on the course.

They didn't stay long.

My tracks will soon be covered.
Unfortunate for all those who follow them.

A few places blown clean.

More ridges!
Yes, I am easily fascinated.

More drift patterns,
easily explained by the position of tree trunks.

The steady wind and its effects defy
describing this as a "Still Life."

As expected, my tracks have disappeared
wherever they were exposed to the wind.

Here are some others, also undeterred by the the wind.

"Blizzard?  What blizzard?"

"I've looked every which way and don't see any blizzard."

"A few flurries, maybe."

"There are more interesting things to think about
than the weather."

"Right down here."

"Huh?"

"Were you talking to me?"

"What were you saying?"

"Oh, now I get it."

"Scrumptious, don't you think?"

"Definitely."

"Not a bad restaurant.
We should come here more often."

"Yes, Dear."

It's a Baffin Boot Day

Snow Day!
I feel really bad for the school kids,
because it's vacation week.

These are my Baffin Boots.
My Brother-In-Law, also known as Homefries, gave them to me.
What a nice gift.  I love 'em.
They're perfect for this kind of weather.

No way we're going anywhere without clearing the driveway,
particularly with Mary's car.
The winter has been so mild I never put the snowtires on.

A month's worth in one day.

Over a foot and still coming.

Halfway there, but still a lot to do.
My trusty little single-stage snowblower is working like a champ!

Done with the driveway.

There was a time when I lifted the snowblower up onto the front steps.

Just finished, and almost time to start anew!
Maybe later.

Not plannin' on grillin' tonight.

Time for me and my hoodie to warm up.

The Baffin Boots were superior.

BUT OH, NO!  WHAT IF THE SNOW JUST DOESN'T STOP

AND WE'RE STUCK HERE FOR DAYS?!?

I think we're gonna be alright.

Blizzard !!!

INCOMING

When the cold wind comes from the north across Lake Ontario, we get lots of snow in Rochester, NY.

Did you ever wonder what the birds do when the snow is blowing in like it will never stop?

They come to our feeders, of course.

Mr. Cardinal always brightens a snowy day.

Mrs. Cardinal respects the decision of the Mourning Dove
to perch on the leeward side.

Needs a shave.

"Our turn out of the wind."

The male is more striking, but the subtle varied colors of the female
are exceptionally beautiful.

And you thought woodpeckers only ate bugs.

This Cooper's Hawk is also happy we feed the birds.

The guy across the street halfway through a brazen display of youth.

Lots of work to dig out, but undeniably pretty.

The Mourning Dove finds a windless perch amid the beauty.

Time to go to bed and let it blow itself out.

AFTERMATH

The next day

Mrs. Cardinal doesn't mind that the wind blew the lit off the feeder.
Could be time to think about a little maintenance.

The impressive showing of muscle and determination across the street
is making me look bad.

Lots of junk that hasn't moved itself to the recycling bin.
No, not the snowblower, although most would say it is a valid candidate.
I had to bring it in so it would unfreeze itself.

What's wrong in this picture?
We heard a "BANG!" in the middle of the night, but I found nothing after searching the house.
Duct tape didn't work.
The guy who came to replace it said that they're only rated for 15000 trips.

After digging out.
Yeah, I should have used the roof rake to take down the drift first,
But it looks so great up there.
That's our Christmas Tree on the left...not quite at the curb yet.

FUN

It's a sin to let the beautiful snow go to waste.

You know who hates the winter?  It's everyone who curses the snow for the extra work and laments the cold while their sweaters languish in their drawers.  They are deaf to the call of their skis.  And they don't remember the childish joy that only a snow day can bring.

Sculpted drifts in the grove of pines.

The sun lighting up the ice at a bend in the creek.

Knee deep snow made for a good workout while breaking trail.

This day, no worries about potential mishaps at the narrow bridge.
The snow was too deep to pick up any speed down the hill.

I think that I will never see,
a blog as lovely as a snow-clad tree.

The sun lights up the banks of the creek meandering into the distance.

The sun lightens the load on the cedars.
This time, the falling snow missed me.

Awaiting my next pass underneath.

Creekside crack in the snow.

Ya gotta embrace it.  Ya gotta get out into it.  Ya gotta love the winter and enjoy all that it brings, including the shoveling, and the slippery conditions and the cold.

Until March.  Then it's time to go here: