Finally, winter arrives

I was beginning to wonder if we were even going to have a winter. It's been very mild so far and we've had only one other snowfall back at the beginning of December and that didn't stay around very long. This is the first time I can remember that the grass has been green in January. Crocuses are confused and poking their heads up through the dirt already. They are probably sorry they were in such a hurry to wake up.

Finally, this afternoon it started to snow. First it was that powdery kind that is so fine you can hardly see it in the air, but you can see the coating it leaves on everything. As the evening wore on it started falling like big fat goosefeathers, ever so gently drifting down to the ground and everything is white and in the whiteness are little sparkles like diamonds glistening under the streetlights.

I poked my head outdoors to take in the air. I love the way the cold snow-air smells. Crisp. Clean. Clear. The snow is falling harder now, but silently. It reminds me of the poem by Robert Frost, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.