Thursday, January 02, 2014

Reading a snowstorm in the sunset

Sunset at the cabin on New Year's Day.  Snow on its way

Snow has begun to fall.  Even without a weather report, I could see the storm that was to come in last night’s sunset, the first of the new year. Storm totals are predicted low, then higher, then lower again.  I am taking no bets on how much will fall at my cabin. Roundtop often gets quite a different amount than what falls in nearby towns anyway.

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve refused to move the car because the roads up on the mountain were bad. And when I finally do deem it safe enough to travel, I find that the roads down in the valley are not only cleared but dry.  That’s always a shock and has caused me no end of embarrassment when I tell co-workers the roads were too bad to drive on.  I don’t think they believe me, those urban and suburban denizens whose high-heeled boots never actually touch the earth as they travel from living room to garage to parking lot and back again.

Where I live, weather is often the focus of the day.  How hot or cold will it be? Will I need sandals or Yak-trax? Do the chickens need more straw?  Will my water pipes freeze? To me, the weather is a bit like a neighbor who can be fun but just as often brings trouble. Today, I’m expecting a bit of trouble.

3 comments:

Jacqueline Donnelly said...

What gorgeous color! I hope your storm brings only the loveliest kind of snow, light and dry and easy to shovel. It's so odd, over the past few years, states like yours far to the south of northern NY have been socked with far more snow than we have. We're getting some tonight (Jan. 2), along with below-zero cold, but I heard we might have rain by next week. Horrid to have rain in winter!

Sharkbytes said...

Reading the sky is pretty much a lost art. Love the pic!

Scott said...

Beautiful image, Carolyn. Our evening sky was much like yours for about one minute; by the time I went in to get the camera, it was over. I'll just enjoy your image.