Snowstorm # 3, 2014!

Upstairs view

The snow fell in large flakes at 5 a.m. yesterday. It wasn’t a whiteout but it was steady and accumulating fast. Over 6″ had fallen on all surfaces. The reason I know this is because my sleeping habits are sometimes interrupted, at odd and varying hours, throughout the night and early morning.

 I grabbed my phone, the nearest camera to my bed, and started snapping. There is something about crisp white snow blanketing the world that requires picture taking. My goal was to catch the flight of the flakes from sky to earth. I have a decent eye for creative shootery (made that word up) and composition but no interest in learning the heavy hitting of cameras and lenses. This leaves my imagination and ingenuity in trouble because photos of this kind require specialty zooms and slower than normal shutter speeds.

The northeast portion of the country has had its share of snow in the early months of 2014. I think this is the 3rd major snowstorm (defined as more than 6″ but less than 12″) although I wouldn’t bet money on it. My memory plays tricks on me.

Snowstorms make me feel like a kid with a legitimate reason to play hooky and spend the day indoors. Snowdrifts high as your hips, patio furniture hidden from view, tree boughs hang low with white caps and scarves and car roofs wearing Cat in the Hat high hats that make them look one foot taller than they were yesterday. I was able to complete the (23rd?) book edit on my memoir.

Picture behind screen

Which brings me to the book’s next issue: Me. Am I ready to let this baby go? Send her into the world of ridicule, critique, scrutiny? Can I hear constructive criticism without shrinking (further) into the recesses of myself? Am I brave enough to give her wing and see if she is ready to fly on her own?

Favorite and most creative photo

Besides editing, which is no small feat, I was entirely productive on this day spent within the confines of my home. AND –  so were the other people in my house. Son number 3 shoveled 10″ of snow from the driveway (to his credit he also shoveled the lady’s driveway across the street and would not accept payment) and daughter number, hmm, she’s the only daughter but the 4th child – I don’t know what number she is, cleaned her room. To be clear, the undertaking was massive as there was no available floor space to be spotted and what was beneath the first layer of clothing was a mystery!

Full scale snow storms slow me down, bringing a desired stillness to my soul. The outside world quiets too; there’s no place to go, nothing to do and no where to be other than right here. It’s Shavasana in real life outside the yoga studio.