The First Snow of Autumn

We woke up Saturday to cold weather and snow. Clementine was almost impossible to get moving. She complained about the cold and didn't want to get out from under the covers on our bed after I finished putting her hair up.

After ballet, we ran a few errands. Even after the snow stopped down here, we could see a storm up on Pikes Peak. Here are a few photos from around town...

From the parking lot on the way to the tire store. Dan needed new tires and I'd promised myself that we'd carve out time to get them by the end of the week. There is a snow storm on top of the mountain, and the snow is blowing from the top toward the north.

Snow storm with blowing storm at the top of Pikes Peak. It was dry, sunny and cold down here as we watched the storm. After 11 years here, I still find all of this simply fascinating and love to watch it unfold. 

What looks like the top of the mountain in the previous picture is really the top of the storm, as seen here. 

Later in the day, the sun is beginning to set. Taken at the end of Academy Blvd, in the parking lot of the grocery store. I think that we probably have the best view in the world from this grocery store.

Pikes Peak as the sun sets, with Academy Blvd. in view.

America The Beautiful was written after Katherine Bates in 1893. Bates was an English professor at Wellesley College, and was inspired after a trip to the top of Pikes Peak. She was spending the summer locally, teaching at Colorado College. You can certainly see where the line about purple mountain majesties came from, can't you?

I've lived all over the United States, and the sunsets out west, and particularly over the Rockies, stand out for their beauty and breathtaking color.

The last few moments of daylight... time for us to go home, have dinner, and happily snuggle together against the cold autumn night.

Namasté 

deena

The very last day of April

We went outside this morning to find a glorious spring morning waiting for us.

The sun was shining brightly, the bright blue sky was cloudless, and there were crab apple blossoms floating down from the tree.

It was a welcome surprise after our mostly-dreary week. We've had every flavor of strange weather this week; cold rains, whipping winds, thundersnow^, sleet, and graupel^, just for starters.

Clementine spent last night with her grandparents and cousins. Dan and I had a quick breakfast together this morning. It was nice to talk and just sit together.

The two of us ran a few errands after breakfast. Then I went home and Dan went to get Clementine. He took her to her friend K's birthday party, where she got to swim and play and eat chicken and cupcakes baked in ice cream cones, each with their own candle. K's mom and dad made each child a mug with their name, K's name, and colorful balloons. Clementine was so proud of it when she brought it home. K's parents are very talented, creative people.

I stayed home, took these photos, and worked on a project (pictures when it's done). 

After they got home, we had a short nap, then dinner together. Clementine excitedly told me about her day, ate everything on her plate, and fell asleep before she made it to bed, a very rare occurrence indeed.

Now it's just the two of us again, sitting together on the sofa. When we last looked outside a bit ago, spring seems to have gone back into hiding. Snow was falling again, with more forecast for tomorrow.

Namaste