Big(ger) Snow

It hit, and then it stayed around. We got something ridiculous like eight inches over night. People even brought out their snowplows! It snowed for well over 24 consecutive hours -- and then we haven't really gotten much more. We did have two weekends below zero, though, so that was fun.

 The woods near us had a thick covering of snow, but the river and ponds did not freeze over completely...

There were patches of ice, though, thick enough for a few fool-hardy fisherman to try their luck.

Since we've plunged into the negatives and stayed well below freezing for several weeks, there are now fishing huts out on the ice. 

First BIG(ish) Snow

As I write this, we wait at the beginning of a major system that may bring up to a foot of snow over the next two days. It comes on top of a few minor snows (less than half an inch) on the 23rd and Christmas night. If we get more than ten inches, it will be Minnesota's largest snowfall in 22 months.

Earlier this month, though, we had our first big snow -- somewhere around four to six inches. It was quite a beauty, but also kept Suzanne overnight in the Cities (thanks to her awesome coworker for giving her a place to stay both then and now).

I am increasingly convinced that I actually work at the American version of Hogwarts. I mean, just look at that architecture and that tower! And our Advent wreath is suspended in the sanctuary -- that's right, actual floating candles.

It's not a bad view from my office. Though, it was more serene before the nursery school students left their mark...

Even a few inches really piles up when you clear a parking lot. Some of these deposits lasted the entire month.

And even a 70s parsonage looks quite lovely when you add a wreath and blanket of snow.

The temperature jumped back up after about a week, so the snow melted before the next systems came in. Apparently, in a non-El Niño, the snow would hang around until a warm spell in late January or early February, leaving behind only a bit of grime. This year, we're starting over with a fresh blanket.

I'll wander out after the storm is over to get new pictures -- and hopefully capture a bit of blue sky or sun as well.

Minnehaha, Frozen

One of the great things about Minnesota is how drastically different everything looks even with just a bit of snow on the ground. Just a thin layer, less than half an inch, adds a rich texture to the landscape. The stark, now-bare farmland looks completely different after a dusting of snow.

Or Minnehaha Falls, for instance, is in a ravine, which means that snow hangs around for much longer than it does on level ground.

On our last trip, we (carefully) made our way along the river and enjoyed the new landscape.

As the falls plummet over the edge of the bowl, the mist coats the surroundings in ice. Even the trees up at the rim were reflecting the sunlight, and the frost is readily apparent on the rocks below.

Along the trail up to the falls, the little bit of snow the Cities had received on Thanksgiving Day was still hanging around. Even thought it was less than an inch and the temperature was above freezing, the snow was protected by the ravine's wall.

And as we went back to the car, a guy stopped us and pointed up to this eagle -- one of many I've seen over the past month or so.

First Snow

The first snow has arrived, with a few hours of light snowfall. But much to our surprise, it has hung around for a few days.

The parsonage looks great with a fresh coat of snow.

The roads are mostly clear now -- apparently Minnesota didn't even find the flurries worthy of bringing out the plows. There are still a few pockets hanging around, though, and we have barely pushed past freezing the past two days.

Cold, but very clear. Our Saturday routine changed when the farmers' market closed for the season at the end of October, and so we took advantage of the sunny day and the fresh snowfall to explore our local state park with its new decorations.

We had ice forming on some of the smaller bodies of water on Friday, but after two days below the freeze point, even some of the lakes have ice starting to creep across. It's not enough to hold weight yet, but it's still surprising to see so much so early. (By comparison, if this much ice formed on any lake in Georgia, it would be after an especially miserable January.)

 The park winds back and forth through woods, prairie grass, and next to now-vacant corn fields.

 

After an hour or so wandering through the park, we made it back to the car -- just as we had hit the point where we were uncomfortably cold. And good news: we survived without having to break out our heaviest gear yet. We'll see how we do when we get into the negative digits, but it's a successful first outing.

Sunday, with an afternoon off, we decided to take a walk through our favorite spot in the city, along a small and shallow river. We didn't dress quite as well this time and had to turn around, but not before capturing a picture of the frozen river:

It's not much to the Minnesotans, but I'm pretty sure this weather would send Atlanta into a frenzy.