Sunday, December 21, 2008

Flakes to Inches to Feet


Happy Holiday Greetings from our home to yours!

Our first snowfall of the season was late arriving. We all expected it last Wednesday so I called my hair dresser to change my appointment to Tuesday hoping to avoid a snowy traffic jam. Cars slide up and down hills near our home. Puget Sound is hilly like San Francisco. We live atop a small mountain so getting to and from home can become an issue when snow joins the scene. We had no snowfall last Tuesday night or Wednesday. I should have been picking up the last of my Christmas gifts instead of watching the sky like a meteorologist. I was too afraid to leave, afraid the snow would grab me like it did one evening last year when it had us sliding along Lake Sammamish Parkway, unable to follow any tracks because the snowfall was so heavy . Instead of doing my Christmas shopping I stayed home in front of the fire, keeping the pipes warm in the 20 degree temps we were having.

Thursday we awoke to a sprinkling of snow, perhaps 2 inches . Hubby can work from home so he set himself up in our office and began his day. I pulled open all the shades and watched the flakes fall, big hunks of snow swirling in circles and floating toward the earth. The branches of our giant Sequoia and its companion evergreens were draped in white sheets; the Autumn Joy sedum and the rock garden flora wearing white hats on their stems and flowerheads. Hubby purchased hand warmers to tape to the bottom of the hummingbird feeder to keep the nectar in liquid form. Hummers were waiting for their nectar in the icy weather, a deadly situation for them which threatened their survival. They moved straight to the feeder each morning to suck the nectar, one balancing on the perch around the feeding holes, likely too weak to flutter his wings and eat. We placed a heater in one of the bird baths, suet cakes in the suet cages, peanuts in the squirrel box, and plenty of nuts and seeds in the feeders. The wildlife was doing fine, and we enjoyed watching them feast from the warmth of our inside retreat.

By Friday we had several inches of snow on the ground, a pristine landscape which we watched from the windows and the covered entryway porch. Soon the postman would break the perfect white veil across the courtyard leaving his footprints as he delivered Christmas goodies from Swiss Colony. We decided to make a stockpot of chicken vegetable soup. Based on the weather forecast this may be our Christmas dinner, too! More snow fell over the weekend, and now more than a foot of snow hides the gardens from sight. Pathways and gardens disappear under wide white ribbons of snow while evergreens hold their lacy white branches a little closer to the ground. The landscape resembles a Christmas card; it is surreal - too quiet, too white, too perfect as snowfall once again covers the intrusion of any visitor.

It is all serene. There are no noises to interfere with the stillness accompanying these snowfalls except perhaps the sound of snow falling from a branch and crashing into a shrub below. Birds and squirrels scatter seeds, but there is a tranquility which hovers over the landscape and the wildlife. Serenity, always appreciated in the busy hustle of Christmas, lays across our land and feeds our own quiet, contemplative moods. We are looking forward to getting out again and doing some Christmasing, eager to see the magic of the city lights, ready to welcome the Christmas ships as they sail to ports on Lake Washington, anticipating the carolers singing to us on Seattle's streets. We hear we will be getting more snow each day until Christmas, but on Christmas Day the temps will rise above freezing and the skies will shower us with rain. It is winter in Seattle, after all, and if it is Seattle in winter, baby, the rain must fall!

22 comments:

Lee said...

There is no denying it is pretty but I do like to be WARM!

Anonymous said...

Wow - it looks so beautiful! We are looking forward to flying into it tomorrow ...
Happy Holidays to you and yours. How lovely to be having a white Christmas this year.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

It looks so very beautiful.....But I must admit I would rather see these BEAUTIFUL Pictures and NOT be living in it...lol!
I just cannot take Winter anymore, but it sure looks stunning in your pictures!

Brenda Clews said...

There is a gorgeous stillness to your writing, like the snow, and yet the nectar runs, your metaphors and descriptions delight.

Happy Holidays to you and your husband, Sky.

Many blessings and a fruitful year ahead!

xo

mm said...

Ah, but it is so beautiful.

One of my colleagues is from Seattle, married to a local Brit. She was telling me how her family in Washington State area are snowed in, and that transport has practicallyy ground to a halt. She is almost glad she stayed on this side of the Atlantic this year!

Stay warm and safe, Sky. Happy holidays.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Sky, I comment so seldom on your site. Your pictures are beautiful and thank you for the comments you forward on to this One Woman.
Blessings to you this early morning.
No snow in my area.

MB said...

Even in winter, your garden is lovely. Good days and year ahead to you and yours, Sky, filled with warmth, good health and joy!

Nothing is permanent. :-)

Lee said...

He's got a list, he's checked it twice...A very Merry Christmas to you and your family.

rdl said...

Merry Merry XMas!!!

Tabor said...

I have just returned from our holiday visit in the city and your blog entry, one of the first I read, was so lovely and cozy. I see by the weatherman that you have gotten your share of winter. Hope your holidays continue with wonderment.

♥ N o v a said...

You guys got more snow than we did here in NY. The photos are so lovely, and it definitely depicts a calm, serene environment.

Wishing you and your husband a wonderful new year. Maybe we can meet each other this year! ;-)

mermaid said...

Sometimes I wonder if Nature plans her weather patterns according to what we most need. Maybe being snowed in instead of Christmas shopping gave you a chance to slow down? Thanks for the beautiful pictures.

rdl said...

Happy Healthy New Year!!

Suzann said...

Happy New Year dear Sky - I love your photos. It is really nice being in Seattle. Perhaps we can meet during my next visit. Love and blessings to you.

Tammy Brierly said...

You guys really got hit with snow since this post. I hope you had a wonderful white Christmas and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The kids made it back home to Bremerton yesterday. They drove through snow from Oregon boarder on. Scary!

Warm HUGS

Tabor said...

here is hoping that the 'wonderful' weather you are getting is not impinging on your ability to get around!! I hope all is well.

Anonymous said...

My butt (bum in Boston talk) feels cold just looking at that bench. I love the serenity sign and the last shot looks like snow flowers.

Great to check in with your life these days!

julia said...

I LOVE snow and I am very envious since it's been a few years since I rolled in the glorious white stuff in Lapland and we never seem to get it here in the UK anymore. But isn't it sad when someone walks in a pristine covering of snow and leaves their mark. Footprints are all very well on a beach when you know that the sea will sweep them clean but on your snow-covered path it seems like vandalism somehow!

daringtowrite said...

I didn't have my eye on your weather, but we had a couple of weeks of snow and I wonder if you got that rainy Christmas Day after all. Lots of rain here again now, so only puddles and slush left of the pretty winter wonderland.

kerrdelune said...

Gorgeous, simply gorgeous!!!

Zhoen said...

Just followed you back. This is the most lovely blog I have ever seen. Not to mention such elegant writing. Thank you.

Lydia said...

Greetings from the hillsides of Southern California! We have hummers here year-round. I didn't realize they stayed where it snowed.