The first snowstorm of the year was predicted
to come during the night. When I awoke at daylight, the world
outside my window remained grey, grey, grey. I had occasion to
cross the lake to do some errands, and I suppose I was just as
happy not to have to shovel snow out of the boat.
While I was out and about, the snow began to
fall. Slowly, slowly, the barren rocks turned from grey to
white. The trees took on a glimmer of snow and winter took its
first peek into November.
When Kate and I went for our afternoon walk
we trundled through more than an inch of pristine white
snow.
What a delight to be wandering through the
brilliance of the forest all dressed in white.
I will confess, though, that much of my
exuberance at being out for the first walk in the snow was
couched in the sure knowledge that it wasn't going to stay.
Predictions were, the temperature would rise well above zero
overnight and surely all the snow would go away.
Early November is way too soon to be keeping
snow on the ground.
The temperature did rise overnight and the
rain came. But was the snow gone in the morning? No. It didn't
get warm enough. It didn't get sunny. All that happened all day
was a persistent drip, drip, drip, as the snow melted off the
evergreens, the birch twigs and the roof over my head.
The snow was way too slushy and mucky to have
any fun at all, so I moped about the cabin instead of going out
for a walk. Actually I didn't mope. The list of things I have
to do on a rainy day is longer than the month of November. I
didn't have time to mope.
But I did get a lot done. I cleaned my desk,
organized some files, refinished a dresser, did
paperwork,cooked and read stories to Kate.
Just everyday living - with much thankfulness
that I don't have to go out into the big ugly world of
civilization where cars and trucks and buses were sliding off
the highway or into each other.
Who needs to go out for anything when the
weather is yucky? We have enough supplies to keep us feasting
for months.
This is a necessary part of life in the bush.
Who knows when a November storm may brew that will keep us
from
crossing the lake?
Who know when the lake will begin to freeze?
Who knows when the snow will come to stay?
Personally, I hope it waits until Dec. 15. I
love snow in the winter.
For November, I'm counting on getting one
more bout of Indian Summer.
