Snowstorm 2009, v2.0

We've recently returned home after a week long trip to Va Beach to visit with family and friends. It was tough to fit in as much time with everyone as we would have liked to, but it was a great trip nonetheless. Lily and Wilson came along, and it was Lily's first time at the ocean. Unlike Wilson, who is largely unimpressed with the Atlantic and everything surrounding it, Lily thought the beach was one of the greatest things she'd ever seen! Lisa held down the fort for us while we were gone. Our only casualty this time was one houseplant that didn't appreciate the below freezing temperatures. When no one is around to keep a fire going, 10 degrees outside means 10 degrees inside! Thank goodness we don't have indoor plumbing.

The remainder of our garden looks like this now as well.

I've spent all morning preparing for what may be a significant snow event (they're predicting anywhere from 12-21 inches). My snowstorm preparedness list looked something like this:

- Fill as many buckets as possible with water before the rain barrels freeze solid. Whereas the individual buckets will freeze, they can be brought in as needed to thaw by the fire. A 50-gallon chunk of ice is a little less portable.
-Set up the extension ladder on the porch roof so we can clear snow off the solar panels.
-Gather kindling from the forest floor while it's still dry.
-Fill a bucket of sawdust for the outhouse before the sawdust pile gets buried and soaking wet.

All tasks successfully completed, bring on the snow! It started falling less than an hour ago, and it looks like we've got about an inch already. Maybe we'll get a white Christmas after all! Here's a photo from the last snowfall to get you all in the mood. :)