one more time

I think we should be looking for crocuses right about now. It's what we do in March. Whatever snows fall -- they melt the next day and the crocuses recover and all's right with the world again.

So it's not really good that we have snow piling on top of snow, because all that snow is just not going to melt anytime soon (I was hoping for crocuses by the weekend...).

On the other hand, all that snow surely is a thing of beauty. Clumps of snow cling to tree branches and form gorgeous patterns on the porch screen.





We were told  -- storm is coming! -- and it came and so we were prepared.

Early breakfast in the front room...





...then a slow drive up unplowed roads to campus. Tuesday is a heavy teaching day for me and so the snow is just a thing out there, outside my office window.





But when it is time to go home, that snow tempts me. At the same time that it is really piling up there. Should we ski? We waffle. It's late. And there wont be trails. Just high drifts of snow. I had thought I said goodbye to skiing before my trip to SF. And here I am wondering if we should ski.

When we're uncertain in this way, the default option is always to go ahead and do it. So we do it.

Snow continues to come down and it's nearly dark. The skis disappear underneath drifts, so that it looks like you're pushing away at piles of snow with your ankles. No one else is out and about -- I understand that. A storm is raging, the winds are blowing -- these are not your inviting conditions for outdoor play.

But oh, it is beautiful!





Maybe this is the last time we ski this year, maybe it's not, but I feel like it's the run of all runs.





It's a winter high alright, to be out there tonight. I don't regret living in the north. I don't regret not having crocuses yet. I don't regret the incessant shoveling of the path to the farmhouse. None of it. Tonight is our homage to the snows we've had this year.






A trial at times, sure, but also beautiful. Yeah. Perfection in the forest by the lake.