A thrilling start to the final month

As December, the first month of winter and final month of the year, came, I found myself wondering what our winter weather would look like this year.  This is a question that always appears in my mind somewhere around the beginning of December, as Washington winters seem to be terribly unpredictable.  Winters can be anywhere from rainy to dry to mild to cold to snowy.   Of course, we always hope that "maybe this year will be different...and snow will fall and pile up."  My family and I are really big on snow, white Christmases, cold winters, and snow-dependent activities.  So as December 1st comes around each year, I am again thinking "Will we get snow that actually sticks and piles up this time?  Will we get even a flake??"

It had been 4 years--4 years--since we'd had any snow.  In the past few winters we would get maybe an hour of snowfall, which would be cause for great cheering and excitement.   But it never stuck or piled up, so it really counts for nothing.  Maybe our excited reactions scared it away...I'm not sure.  So the last time we'd had enough snow to actually be useful was when we moved to our current house 4 years ago.  We moved in during a "snow storm" only 5 days before Christmas.  It was cold and boxes were everywhere, but we were excited because there was snow to play in.  My thoughts that first winter at our new location went like this: "Wow.  We really moved to the right spot.  I'm glad we live somewhere that gets quite a decent amount of snow around Christmas!"  I later found that the snow was a rare characteristic, and there was nothing particularly snowy about Brinnon in general.  That was a dreadfully disappointing fact.

Now, imagine our surprise when we woke up on December 5th and there were 3 silent, sparkling inches of snow on the ground.  It was really a sight to behold.  I am certain that nothing gets me out of bed quite as quickly as the announcement that there is snow on the ground.  I couldn't believe that December had hardly begun, and yet my greatest hope for this month had already come true.

I was so excited about this change in the scenery that I ran right out in my bare feet to feel it all for myself.  I felt it alright.  It was...cold.  I had forgotten just how cold snow can feel on the skin....

So I ran inside and put some shoes on.

Chara experiencing snow for the first time.  She has the right idea--she walks around eating it!

The calming whiteness of everything!!!!!

Unfortunately, we already had plans to go to Seattle that day, and the plans couldn't be changed.  It was certainly tragic to leave all this snow behind, knowing that it would probably be all melted away before we got home that night.

Thankfully it wasn't entirely gone upon our return.  There was still enough to make the scenery lovely, but not enough to physically enjoy.  But more on this later!