Winter

First Snow, First Plowing

71 Comments

Last Wednesday, we had the first snow of the season. It was not a lasting snow—rain followed, and by Friday the snow was mostly gone. However, on Wednesday, enough had fallen for the roads to be cleaned, and late morning I heard the comforting roar of the town plow as it went by.

Somehow, there is always something exciting about the first snow. Before Clif even had time to shovel the front porch, I tottered down the steps to get some pictures. The day was gray, and the tone of the pictures reflects this. Very appropriate for a snowy day.

Here is the front of our house.

I love the way garden ornaments look in the snow. I always leave them out until the first snow so that I can get some pictures of them. Today, most of them will be coming inside for the winter.

And here’s a picture Clif took of the backyard. He was in the dining room and got a pretty good shot through the window.

Time for the chairs to come in, too. The covered table, along with the grill, will stay outside for the winter.

 

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For a completely different landscape, courtesy of my blogging friend Alys of Gardening Nirvana, here is a postcard she sent me not long ago of California beauty.

Quite a contrast to the Maine countryside, and I so love seeing what other places look like. Yet another blessing that comes with having blogging friends here, there, and everywhere. Many thanks, Alys!

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This Thursday is Thanksgiving in the United States. For those who celebrate, a very happy Thanksgiving to you all. Ours will be quiet, and because we are vegetarians, turkey will not be the centerpiece. Ours will be a dinner of sides.

Nevertheless, it will be a weekend of simple pleasures—board games, decorating the tree, and—at long last—Christmas shows, which I have been eagerly waiting for.  There are quite a few new ones this year, ranging from an animated Christmas Carol to A Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas special.

Let the festivities begin!

 

 

 

71 thoughts on “First Snow, First Plowing”

  1. Brrrr. We probably won’t see much snow now that we live in the temperate S.W. of England so I’ll have to enjoy it vicariously.

    As for festive entertainment, if you haven’t seen it already (or even if you have) ‘The Muppets’ Christmas Carol’ is wonderful.

    1. Glad to provide the vicarious enjoyment. And The Muppets Christmas Carol is one of our favorites. Despite all the folderol, it really does tell the story.

  2. We don’t often get snow, and when we do, it seldom settles which makes it a big deal round here. Like you, I love the way it transforms everything. Our firepit always reminds me of a portly judge 😊

  5. Our big ‘feast’ is at Christmas as we don’t have Thanksgiving in South Africa. Even though I don’t eat meat, I cook whatever my carnivorous family want and make sure there are plenty of vegetable / nut dishes on offer – they go down a treat with the others! Enjoy your Thanksgiving time.

  6. The first snow is magical, but after that — when things start to melt up and get muddy — I’m done with it! As you’ll recall, a long-haired Sheltie with muddy feet isn’t exactly a welcome addition to one’s home. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

  8. Isn’t it funny how exciting the first snow is? Yet 2 months later the same amount can seem unwelcome and bothersome if we let the gray of the sky get to us. I’m going to try to keep some of the wonder this year. Not sure how to go about that yet, but I’ll try. Love the photos!

  10. We have a bit more than you do, Laurie, but nowhere near what poor Buffalo and environs have. Yikes! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

  11. One of my weather gurus was muttering a bit last week about certain models maybe predicting a possible bit of snow in the nether regions of Texas sometime… Is that enough qualifiers for you? None the less, it was enough to stir up the juices of the snow lovers, and get them excited. We’ll pass on the kind of freeze we had in 2020, but it doesn’t have to be that cold to snow, so there might be a flake or two.

    In the meantime, I’ll enjoy your photos and your tales of the approaching season. Thanksgiving crept up, but it’s here; I hope you and Clif have the most enjoyable ever!

  12. Aw so pretty! I have to imagine the snow as it is all sun here. The snow on the ornaments looks just like the commonly used idiom to describe it – icing sugar! We call it that, although you might have another name for it?

    1. Many thanks! We just say “icing” here and leave out the “sugar.” Or maybe “sugar” and leave out the “icing.” At any rate, I have never heard them used together.

      1. Oh funny!
        Icing sugar is what we use to make cake icing. What do you call that white stuff that is mixed with butter and colouring to make cake icing?

  13. The ‘first’ snow is always pretty, and I’m sure glad you had a light dusting versus that storm that went through NY. I cannot even imagine seeing 70+” of snow at one time. Your holiday dinner and weekend sounds lovely. Family time is always a good time for all. Have a good week!

    1. Yes, a dusting is all we got. And although I love snow, I do realize that it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Phew, Buffalo got hammered! A happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

  14. Although I haven’t experienced much snow in my life, when I see the photos of your house and garden covered in snow, I can see that it really does changes the landscape completely. It gives you a chance to settle into indoor activities… a nice thought.
    We are expecting even more rain around Christmas time, so I am stocking up on all the indoor games and fun things to do! Happy Thanksgiving Day!

    1. Yes, winter is time to rest and recharge. Stocking up on indoor games and things to do sounds like such a cozy way to spend Christmas. The best, really. But then I am a huge fan of cozy.

  16. The first snow is always a bit exciting. If you follow the folklore, it occurred on the 15th, so we’re to get 15 storms! Time will tell (let’s hope they aren’t like Buffalo’s!) Have a great Thanksliving holiday!

  18. Laurie, your first snow pics are a delight. Everything looks nice with a dusting of snow. There is something about the picture of your house that reminds me of our home in Ontario, Canada. If I can ever find a photo again, I’ll send it along. We too are vegetarians, so we’ll be enjoying corn bread “stuffing” along with lots of tasty treats. Mike does all the food prep, my son is bringing pie, and our friends will join once again for a table of eight. Your festivities sound charming.

    PS I’m so glad you enjoyed the postcard.

  20. I love how you document all of the seasons here on your blog. Our first snow was also last Wednesday and is all gone too, but isn’t it wonderful?

  24. Lovely to see your snow but please keep it- our road doesn’t get cleared unless one of the farmers gets fed up enough to do it with the tractor and I quickly get snowed in. However I hav brough all my tender plants and garden furniture in because we have had our first frost. Happy Thanksgiving.

    1. Quite the difference from when we have snow, and the town immediately sends out trucks to plow and sand. But in the winter, there is usually a lot of snow in Maine, and we have had many long years to learn how to deal with it. 😉

  25. Always love the first snow and your home and garden ornaments look absolutely lovely in the snow!! We had a week of snow and cold weather and now that warmer weather has returned I’m already hoping for more snow and a white Christmas. Your holiday plans sound wonderful and thank you for letting us know about The Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special!! Happy Thanksgiving!🙂

  28. Wow! Amazing how being a bit further inland you get more snow. The closest we got along the coast was a snow squall that came through this past Sunday.

  31. We had the slightest dusting of snow last night, Laurie. But snow is rare here, so we hope it’s a quiet whisper of more to come. I hope your garden and patio and buttoned up for the winter now and that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Stay cozy, and Happy Winter.

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