First Snow !

December 6, 2009

Yesterday was the first real snow of the season – although forecast as a flurry, the flakes grew larger and fell thickly all afternoon.
For weeks, I had been wishing and waiting for snow, but at the moment, was grumbling about it.
I was on the Northway, heading down to the Albany airport to meet my mother. She was returning from a few weeks in Florida, and was in for an abrupt climate change. To her credit, she gleefully exclaimed as we stepped outside “how pretty it is!” That’s my Mom!

On the way home, visibility was poor, but the roads were merely wet and traffic was light.

This morning dawned clear and sunny, and what a sight greeted us! It had only snowed two inches up here in Glens Falls, but it was a thick lodging snow, coating all the branches with fluff.

The morning was taken up with errands which could not be postponed.
In the afternoon, I hastened to Glen Lake to take a look at the Fens.

It was still just 33 degrees, so only a wind could make the snow disappear.


Along the bike path, chicadees were traveling in a noisy pack, flitting from winterberry to buttonbush to sumac, spending only seconds in each spot.
Here's where one USED to be.


Ice was forming in the slough where, just weeks ago, I had been surprised to see painted turtles, still active under the water.


Now instead of the ovals of turtle-shells, there were the similar shapes of lily pads.They were still colorful under the new ice.


Later on, back at home, there was a typical vibrant winter sunset.

Maybe it's nature's way of compensating us for the fact that the sun is now setting at 4:30 p.m.

Dusk settled quickly on the upper meadows. Time to head home for dinner.