Snow falls softly

snow from the gazebo

snow on fence posts

snow at the lake

First world problems: snow edition

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I didn’t mind the snowstorm much at all. It was a minor inconvenience, combined with a bevy of benefits. My husband at home for a few extra days. Family play time in the snow. A little girl’s first snowman. Soup with grilled sandwiches. Hot chocolate (Gem would be sure to verify that her’s was “warm”). Days packed with guilt-free snuggle time and togetherness.

Until my internet went out. Then it got personal.

Oddly, up until I noticed the outtage, I’d spent little time online. But in the hours, minutes, and seconds that have creeped by since that devastating discovery, I’ve thought of little else. We are all safe and well. We have electricity, heat, water, stockpiles of food, and an ever-deepening wonderland of snow and ice outside. It doesn’t matter.

I’m not connected.

I cannot share my every passing thought on facebook. I can’t pin pictures of food I will never cook, and clothes I will never wear. And since we dropped cable in favor of using the internet for tv, we might even have to break out the boxes of dvds that have been gathering dust in the closet. Even my phone is on Roam.

I’m quite certain I’ll weather this trauma just fine, and I’ll try not to spend my time counting the moments till I can post this message. In the meantime, I hope you are all safe and sound, warm and dry, that your problems are more frivolous than substantial, and that the storm leaves your homes and loved ones unscathed.

Snow Angel

It’s not her first snow, but perhaps the first she remembers.

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She offers up snowballs as precious gifts, then tosses them up in the air like so much confetti, squealing and laughing as the snow tickles her face.

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And when she catches a snowflake on her glove, she blows it away, and says “make a wish.”

I have no idea where she got that from.

 

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She made her first snowman

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And she set about playing as though it was her most important work

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It is.

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Even when seasoned with whimsy.

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Sunday, she asked if Santa was going to come back, now that it snowed, so that he could have Christmas in the snow.

 

My favorite photos of 2011

I’m still learning to use my new camera, but I sure got a lot of practice with all our adventure this year. Here are some of my favorite photos.

 

We learned that bears like to eat dandelions

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My daughter discovered the most fascinating animal at the zoo

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I spent a little time in our back yard capturing ducks and lily pads

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my daughter showed off her fashion sense

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I trespassed in a beaver family’s back yard

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I listed my 10 favorite places to be 

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I got up close with some Poppies - I had no idea they were so hairy

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I tried out the macro lens chasing down raindrops

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My daughter and I explored Turnagain Pass in Alaska

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I went tourist at Pike Place Market

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I got all deep and philosophical about a Foggy Day

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and I can’t finish this post without including another picture of the sweetest little girl in the world

Gem