Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Promises


We will remember this year as the year of the big snow. Everyone in this area will, since this was the most snow ever, for the month of December in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As much as we complained about the snow, it was beautiful, and the days after were picture postcards of deep blue sky nestled in pure thick waddings of snow.

For the next year, I am making promises, instead of resolutions. I promise to work on my patience (double entendre intended). I promise to eat healthier, and less of it, and drink more water. I promise to write more and look in to opportunities to write for pay. (My book reviewing job has been cut from the magazine I wrote for.) I promise to use my camera more often and learn to train my eye for the beauty beneath the surface. I promise to delve into my spiritual side.

What will 2010 be known for?

Monday, December 21, 2009

The Holiday Punch



It is day four of "The Holiday Punch" as my local TV weathermen called  this weather event. This is the view from my front door the morning of the second day of the storm. All the snow has fallen off the trees: however, the two and three feet of snow on the road is still there.

And we are stuck in the house. Or to the driveway which took us 6 hours to dig out. The road committee we pay yearly dues to has not produced a plow in sight to get our whole neighborhood to a main road. What to do?

We did the obvious, use your imaginations. Thankfully, we have electricity and heat. And the internet, our cameras, our video, our dog, and our new Christmas toys: dual Blackberries. As virgin Blackberry users, we have loads of time to download and play with our new tools.We are a little sore in  muscles we had forgotten about but it was a good excuse to eat the Ben and Jerry ice cream in the refrigerator. I watched a neat silent movie on Netflix  instant movie on the internet called, " The Cat and the Canary", a haunted house movie from 1927. I wonder if they got snowed in then? I leave you with one more shot of the storm..

Sunday, December 6, 2009

First Snow


The first snow of the season came early this year, December 4. Usually, it doesn't snow here (at least accumulate) until January or February. It was pretty, enjoyable to see, since we didn't have to go anywhere, or be anywhere. Good thing, too, since they haven't figured out how to plow or treat roads. Even though it snows every year. And since this is the oldest state (or close to it) in the country, I guess that means the Highway Dept. is a little slow on the uptake. There were four accidents, three fatalities, mostly because the roads weren't plowed correctly and large spots of slushy snow, and later ice plagued the roads. Idiots who drive too fast were also at fault. We couldn't walk our dog except along the road, but he didn't mind. He is too full of energy today, though.