Friday, January 29, 2010

And Then There Was White!

(Froggy had a chilly swing on the porch!)

It was a typically chilly New England afternoon. The sun came out intermittently. I buzzed around town doing errands. Went into an eyeglass place and when I came out, a frozen white hell had broken loose.

Wind whipped wildly and made it difficult to open the door of the building to exit. Millions of icy darts froze my face as I struggled to put the hood of my jacket on my head.

"What?" I gasped. "It wasn't like this 10 minutes ago."

Running to my car, struggling against the wind, my hands just about froze and I grabbed my gloves from the passenger's seat. Then came the ride home!

Traffic everywhere moved at a crawl. All cars, including mine, switched headlights on although they didn't do much for visibility. It was as if a gigantic white curtain descended from the heavens. Nothing came into focus, either from the left or the right. All I could see was a massive whiteout.





At one point, I gently applied the brakes and felt the car skid to the right. There was no way to control anything so I just prayed nothing would slam into us. Thankfully, nothing did.



A long line of headlights from cars coming toward us broke the eerie whiteness. Wind whipped the millions of snowflakes into a blinding fury.

Squinting my eyes, I finally found our street and turned right and then left into our driveway. Home at last.

The aftermath of the freak storm turned everything into ice palace loveliness. Thick layers of frosted snow lined the branches of nearby trees. More snow swirled down from the heavens and landed softly on the whitened earth.





Once inside, after stomping my feet in the front hallway, we lit a fire in the fireplace and luxuriated in its warmth. We were blessedly cozy inside, safe from the elements.





Such is a winter afternoon in New England.

What is winter like where you live? Do you like it or do you prefer another season?

8 comments:

Chatty Crone said...

That was very beautiful - however we have really good winters in Georgia for people who don't like ice and snow. ALthough we did get one snow this year about 1/4 of an inch and school closed!

I must say I am getting ready for spring time.

What about you? You all probably have snow trucks and put salt on the streets. We have none of that. Our roads are hilly and curve too.

I must say though -those pictures are gorgeous!
sandie

Susan said...

Oh, thanks, Sandie. So nice to see you visited. My husband got me a new digital Kodak camera for Christmas (for less than $100) and it is fabulous. Could show the hairs on a bumblebee! Anyway, hope you have a sweet day. And I hope you come to visit often, despite the snowny weather up here! Sincerely, Susan

diane stetson said...

Of course I live in sunny Southern California and DO NOT like snow, winter sports, or ice and freezing temps so I guess I'm put where GOD wanted me to be and I'm thrilled I do not have winter weather...unless I drive an hour an a half to Big Bear where they've had more snow this year than ever...since 1969 they say. OK you snow lovers YOU CAN HAVE IT....xo

Susan said...

Hi Di! Thanks for stopping by! Always nice to have you visit! Sincerely, Susan

Carolyn said...

Hi Susan,
Looks like that storm came our way.It was so beautiful but not as much fun to drive in.
I love the four seasons but by March I am tired of winter and longing for spring but it is slow to arrive here.
Thank you for all your lovely comments on my blog.
Take care,
Carolyn

Susan said...

Hello Carolyn...I'm with you regarding getting sick of winter by March. Definitely true. Thanks for your visit! Sincerely, Susan

Donna said...

Oh, Susan, I am sooooooooo tired of winter! Truth be told, I'm always ready for spring the day after Christmas! It is so bitterly cold here, and the wind! Last night I layed in bed listening to it and praying that we wouldn't lose a tree like we did during an ice storm last winter. Let's pray February starts a major warm up! ... Donna

Susan said...

Hi Donna...Yeah, I agree we need some warming up real soon. For me, the only real saving grace of winter is having the fireplace. I just love the warmth and peace of sitting near it and watching the flames dance. I'll be happy to fill it with a floral bouquet, though, come spring. Thanks for stopping by! Sincerely, Susan

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