Snow!

It took me a while, with Tom's help, to get geared up, but I just had to get outside on this snowy morning. So with warm layers under my old Gortex coat, rain/snow pants, and high top boots,  I was ready to tread cautiously into the deeper than expected snow. My official measurement is 7 inches. 

Our first task was to make our way out to the street to get the newspaper.

Two days ago this cotoneaster was full of beautiful red berries. Today the robins have stripped it completely.

Tom used a broom to rescue a few shrubs from being bent over, but the snow was very light and mostly just sifted down to the ground. 

We still have our bird feeders up and the birds are flitting everywhere.

One very early, shivering Viburnum flower.

The other viburnum buds wear sparkly hats.

The sun dial is not telling time today. 

The daffodils were looking almost ready to bloom. Now they'll wait. 

The intrepid snow stomper. 

The quail, usually earth bound, are now snowbound as well. The tracks show that Charlie the Borrowed Cat found his way to the food begging station. 

Snow on moss on the Stewartia tree. 

Yep, I plowed my way down the path to the deck too. 

The deck, which is mostly solid, shows how the fine snow sifted through the cracks. 

Yep, Charlie was here, and yes, he did get some treats.

Fortunately he did not cross paths with the birds. 

It was great to be able to get out in the snowy yard. Now it's hours later and it's still snowing. I hope we get another pretty day before it turns to rain.