Schooled By Snow

This is our second winter here on the island.

We don't know what a typical Kodiak winter is. I have heard that this has been an extra cold/snowy/slushy season. I really don't mind the snow and cold at all, especially now that I have become somewhat confident driving in it.

That snow did teach me a lesson last week though.

We woke up to heavy snow on the ground. It came down all night. It also started to warm up in the morning. That left heavy wet snow breaking and bending our trees. Then melting and flooding the greenhouse.

What looked like 6 inches of snow on the ground was actually four inches of snow, on top of about 8 inches of icy slush water. We found this out after getting up early, ready to plow and shovel to get to school. There was no way we were plowing out. We had an ice wall at the end of our drive that was taller than Minna. Almost as tall as Colyer. (We measured.)

I tried to be cool. I announced a snow day for all. Cheers from the kids! But I didn't want a snow day. We had dance class, and grocery shopping and I needed (wanted) yarn, and the list went on. I had so much that just needed to be done.

The snow taught me that the days that you don't want a snow day, are probably the days you need a snow day.

So, we had a snow day.

The kids played. I dug out the chicken coop. Watched those silly birds poke around. I marveled at the snow and how silent it is when it falls, but at the same time has it's own sound. Have you noticed that? I thought about our property and when it looked like this...

(is all that under there?)

I thought about how there are days not far off, that the island feels like this...

and smells like this...

Seriously, how can all that, be under this snow?

In a few months time, we will be trying to remember what the mountains looked like covered in white. The weather will just do it's thing. Nature is always trying to teach us something. Living here makes it hard to ignore. Colyer says he feels closer to the sky and all the animals here. I agree.

See? We are learning.