It's almost like being in Michigan

If you read the blogs of any other Virginians, you'll know this already, but we're the lucky recipients of a TON of snow this year, and we're all hunkered down for another storm right now.

I've been really really enjoying the snow this year, but not so much the effects on the greater DC area.  You Northerners may scoff all you want, but 2" of snow can really shut things down around these parts!  We don't have the same response teams and manpower available for clearing roads and parking lots.

...however, I digress.

This weekend brings us the second storm of the year that is supposed to drop more than a foot of snow.  THE SECOND!  The first was way back in aught nine :) just before Christmas, December 19, 2009.

Sunrise, Dec 20

Jimmy went hunting, and brought back this beauty.

All told, our yard held about 16" of snow, but the official number for our county was 21", I think.  I hadn't seen that much snow since 1998, when we got a blizzard right in the middle of a work day.  (It was such a bizarre experience that I even wrote a short story about it for one of my college courses.)

The December storm was amazing.  It was beautiful!  We took our friends sledding, and found out it was the first time they'd ever been.  That surprised me, but hey -- we are in the South, right?  I enjoyed every minute of that snow before we left for our trip to Michigan to see family.  It almost felt like "the old days"!  (haha)

I was sad when it melted.  In fact, there were a few days in January when it was so warm I didn't even need my coat!  

Then -- Winter returned.

Last weekend, just after exams ended: it snowed.  We had one church service Sunday for those who could make it, but no school Monday or Tuesday.  Tuesday night:  more snow.  No school Wednesday and a 2hr delay on Thursday.  Thursday afternoon, the superintendent decided not to take a chance with our incoming storm for this weekend, and he canceled today's classes, too.  

The kids and I celebrated by going shopping and eating lunch at Wendy's, but now the snow is starting to fall.  It's pretty, I have nowhere to be, and my exams are all graded.  It's really beautiful.  I keep telling myself that it's going to get nasty later, but for now:  for now, it's just pretty.  Who cares if NOAA says we could get more than 2 feet of snow by morning?!  It's pretty and I'm ready for it.

I took a few pictures of my favorite branch in the front yard:

 

Glistening droplets

The snow begins to stick

I'll let you know how much snow we actually get, but what's really interesting about this is that it's supposed to snow again next Tuesday and Wednesday.  AND - as if that's not enough - there's another 4 systems lined up after that one that could bring us even more snow.

I may never get to teach again until Spring at this rate!  

I love the snow.  It makes it feel as if it's really winter and 

not just a "dead" season around here.  Let it fall!