12 Degrees in the Cold

A howling wind kept us company during the night, moving branches, filling our yard with another six inches of snow. I was up at 5:00, listening to it pound the house, and I couldn't get back to sleep so I am up, catching up on my email and reading. It's pitch black, obviously, the fire is lit, coffee's hot, and I am cosy in my cocoon of snow. Our drive was cleared last night, so we should be able to work our way out this morning, though I am sure we will have to shovel the snow that fell overnight. We have a lake effect snow advisory until tomorrow morning, so we could still get quite a bit more snow.  They are suggesting that Chautauqua country will get up to two feet of snow in some areas.   At least we don't have to be on the road till this evening when we are going over to Ron and Linda's for dinner, weather permitting. Just heard the snowplow out clearing our road at 6:15, so he's up early as well.

As dawn emerges, the lake appears, a gray soup of chunks of ice and hundreds of both ducks and geese and two swans, all bobbing for vegetation, their last meal before the lake freezes over.  When the wind blows, the snow obscures their shapes, leaving just a hint of shadows on the water.

It's almost 3:00 in the afternoon and it's still only 17 degrees outside and snowing, as it has for the last six hours.  The lake has finally frozen up and all the wild life have disappeared, either to other parts of the lake where there maybe open water or they are heading south to warmer weather.  Evie's been making cookies, creating photo albums, and wrapping presents.  I have gone out three times to clear the walk, make a path to the car, and sweep the snow off the car.  Right now, the wind is whipping up the snow on the lake, like a sand storm on the desert, except this is snow.  It's hard to believe this is the same lake we boat, fish and swim on in the summer.