Nov 8, 2012 |
Monday it was over 80 degrees and sunny.
Tomorrow night, we’re expecting our first snowfall of the year.
And this is how I know it’ll happen: my left ankle is a barometric indicator. 24 hours before the first snowflake hits the ground, I limp like a gazelle on hot coals.
On my way home from work tonight (boy! That’s fun to say after a year and a half! Let’s say it again!) On my way home from work tonight, Leftie made a statement. A strong statement. And she’s starting to scream.
Welcome to Winter in the Desert.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Feb 16, 2012
You remember that snowstorm I’ve been waiting for, for a few months? The one that was supposed to hit by Christmas? And again in January? But somehow managed to do nothing except spread lovely rumors of winter white?
Guess what…
We got snow!
There had been much talk about inclement weather for days now, but nobody really believed anything would happen. Several times this winter, any forecast of snow came and went without so much as two flakes. So knowing what the “experts” were calling for didn’t really make it, well, real.
I checked Weather.com, Weatherbug.com, accuweather.com, noaa.gov, and the local news channels. Every one had a different story. Snow in the mountains. Local rains. Lots of wind. Maybe snow. Maybe no rains. Lots of wind.
So when they said “snow”, I really envisioned . . . nothing different.
But, as it turned out, not only do we have snow, but it started about six hours earlier than anyone predicted. Yesterday morning the prediction was for a “dusting”. Last night, the snow level forecast dropped and the prediction became “up to an inch” [Hey, it’s the desert, okay?! An inch of snow is pretty nifty out here!!]. By this morning, one of the forecasts predicted an even lower snow level, and one to three inches possible. But it wasn’t supposed to start until this evening.
At noon, we saw the clouds blow in. And when I say blow, I mean blow.
Like Winnie The Pooh and the Blustery Day blow.
Even in winter, it’s unusual for our skies to turn dark. But darken they did, and quickly. The winds came up rapidly and I made plans to run my errands sooner rather than later. After five friends’ Facebook statuses (say that five times fast, I dare you!), made mention of snow within three minutes of each other, I knew it was time to head out.
I called my mom to let her know I would be out and about, would she like me to run errands for her too? (Awww, I know. I’m a good kid.) We talked about the impending storm and as soon as we hung up, I noticed the first white flake. I called her back. “I’m leaving now,” I decided. It took me less than five minutes to change into a warm sweatshirt and pull on some wooly socks and my shoes. As soon as I backed the car out of the garage, I took the picture you first see up above. From dry ground to this in five minutes. Now that’s a speed record!
I ran errands, picked up Dot from school (no driving lessons today, sorry!), and we made it home. It was like driving through a Muppet’s pillow fight. Thick, large, wet, whiteness dropping from the sky at an alarming speed. Visibility was down to 1/8 mile or less.
So here it is a mere five hours later than when I started out. The downfall has temporarily ceased, but every forecast now is saying we’ll get anywhere from four to eight inches of snow tonight! Eight!! Now that’s a snowstorm!!!
By the time you read this, I could be buried under an avalanche. Or, more preferably, drinking a chocolate martini by the fire while working on Chapter Two of the first book.
But in order to get to Chapter Two, I need to finish Chapter One. Which is what I’m off to do now. So if you’ll excuse me, I have some other writings to tend to.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Dec 15, 2011
My posts this week have been short and focused on two things:
First, I’m working overtime to finish the rough draft of my cookbook. Tonight I plan to have it finished to send it off to my editor for review and finalization. It’s really exciting, to think that soon my dream will be a reality.
It’s just a little cookbooklet; nothing fancy, nothing great. But it’s mine.
And now I’m faced with questions like should I set up a second website, dedicated only to cooking, or only to the cookbook? How do I monitor sales? Should I establish a PayPal account? This is all new territory for me, and I’m feeling a little wow’d by the whole process. Excited, though; not anxious.
My second focus has been the weather. We never did get that big storm they said we would. And then out of the blue yesterday, we’re told to prepare for yet another winter storm coming in tonight. Well I don’t believe them.
Yeah, sure. It would be nice to get that snow they talked about last week. But we’re not supposed to get anything now except some high winds and a few raindrops. Which means we’ll prob’ly finally get that snow.
So I’ve been a little negligent in my posting; and I hope you’ll forgive me. Because when this week is over, I’m going to devote quite a few days of writing to holidays and Christmas posts. Things like, the history of Santa Claus. How I decorate my house. Easy cookie ideas. And maybe a fun little story or two.
Well that’s it. That’s what I’m up to this week.
What’s on your plate?
Dec 14, 2011
Yesterday, I was so excited. I was anticipating the Storm of the Year. Every news broadcast warned to stock up, stay inside, and be safe. Two days of rain and snow and wind were headed our way.
And so we prepared.
We bought groceries and firelogs.
We wore flannel pajamas and made sure flashlights were nearby.
And we waited.
And waited.
And… waited…
And woke up angry.
The storm never happened. We saw a few thick wet snowflakes that teased us for a few minutes, but after half an hour even the rain was milder.
The storm never happened.
And I’m still angry.
I was looking forward to a Snow Day. A day of not driving my daughter to school or needing to run errands. A day when the world would stop and be quiet except for laughter and the sounds of fun.
And I got gypped.
This is just one example of why I don’t listen to the news that often, and when I do, I don’t believe them. The media is so intent on making stories bigger and scarier than they need to be. Of causing a change in our daily habits. For nothing. Nothing.
I don’t want to get riled up any more, so I’m not going to vent about how mainstream media is a circus that doesn’t have any real leaders; but only power pushers. I won’t say a word about manipulation and drama. I choose to stay away from such things.
Instead, tonight I’ll go to sleep and dream of a White Christmas.
It’s bound to happen sooner or later.
Dec 13, 2011
I’m writing this a day early. I usually schedule my posts a day or two ahead of time, so this is not so noteworthy. Except the reasons I’m doing this, is we’re expecting a snowfall tonight and tomorrow and I want to be able to enjoy it. I’m sure if we get that much snow, I’ll photograph it and blog about it and squeal with girlish delight…
I”m sitting on my loveseat in front of my big picture window, watching the Scrub Jays fight the Cactus Wren for the trove of peanuts I put out for them; while the sparrows, finches and even a phoebe are fluttering all around the seed feeder and kicking up the ground to search for more.
A storm is most definitely coming in.
And I intend to enjoy it.
These are my favorite moments. Sitting in the warmth of the house with my cats, watching the birds try their best to beat the clouds. Checking the weather report every ten minutes to find its changed yet again (for the better, or worse, depending on your desire for snow). Drinking my Keurig peppermint tea and eating some Doo-Dads while listening to the Waltons on the dvd player and enjoying the lights of the Christmas Star and the Tree.
These are definitely some of my favorite moments.
When it snows tonight or tomorrow, we’ll stand out in it, listening to the quiet. Enjoying the darkened sky as it falls on our tongues and down our necks. Then we’ll come inside and drink hot cocoa, eat snacks and watch a Christmas movie.
I’m glad for moments like this.
Living in the high desert of SoCal, we don’t get snow, or even rain, like most of the country. While it’s not always sunny and warm, it’s not always winter. And there’s something about being less than two weeks away from Christmas with a forecast of “65 and sunny” that doesn’t sit right with me. It’s the gray skies, the chill wind, and the foraging birds that make winter seem more real, make Christmas seem more enjoyable.
We’ve been getting more snow each year, but it’s still only a few inches now and then. I’m fairly certain that within a few years we will be reclassified as “the place formerly known as High Desert” but until then, until this becomes the norm, it’s a cozy experience.
And I intend to enjoy every minute of it. So forgive me if this post is fluff and flakes. But I like my winters that way. I’ll take it as a Christmas gift from Mother Nature.
This storm is for the Birds. And each and every one of them.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
