Snow and Wind

February weather can fluctuate wildly, going from hard winter one week to mild and almost spring-like the next. Here are a few photos from both ends of the extreme....

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Last Sunday was snowy and blowy and cold, with a driving east wind and multiple-personality precipitation that switched from large flakes in the morning to biting icy pellets in the afternoon to fluffy and perfectly-formed storybook snow after sunset.

My walk was taken during the stinging-pellet phase, when clouds and snow and air seemed merged into a single swirling mist of white, and trees were reduced to brown outlines of themselves. Not the best conditions for photography, but still I like walking in this type of weather, where distances are softened and only the immediate is clear.

Clumps of icy snow on asphalt:

The sun was suffering from an excess of shyness; it peeked through the cloud-veil once or twice, but never showed its full face:

Stripes on the branch of a very small tree:

A mini-landscape of wind-carved snow and dark branches against the wintry sky, with just a hint of the sun glowing behind the clouds:

I liked the look of the twigs growing up through this brush-pile...

...and the line of scraggly grass marking the boundary of this field:

(The sun was completely invisible by this time, hence the cold blue look of the photos.)

One last shot of wild grass shivering in the wind:

That was last weekend.

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This weekend started out quite differently. On Thursday and Friday, high southerly winds pushed the mercury up and melted off much of our accumulated snow. Saturday dawned sunny and clear; by Saturday afternoon, temps had reached the mid-40s, and the wind had died back to a manageable 10-15 mph.

There's only one thing to do when the year plucks a day out of April and drops it into February:

Take your camera - and your turtle - for a RIDE!

(It was a bit of a shock for Tallulah, who has spent most of the winter asleep in her basket, stashed with the bike in a dark hallway. There were loud turtle yawns and much blinking of eyes as Mr. M pumped up my tires - but when we hit the road she woke right up.)

Only a short ride, with few photos, but an unexpected treat on a February weekend.

Before we finished, clouds had rolled in, and the kind western wind was veering to the north. Today the temps are back in the 30s, and a woolly grey veil is covering the sky. A good day for knitting and cups of hot tea.

How's your weather?

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