I have been looking forward to the first snow of the year since we started the process of building this house a year ago. And, wouldn’t you know it, it snowed last week while I was away. Seven inches of snow accumulated on the ground before it stopped snowing. There have been record cold temperatures here since the snowstorm and today the ground is still covered in white.
When I returned home last Sunday evening it was magical to see so clearly by moonlight. It turns out that our house, and the entire community, is in the wintering range of many herds of deer and elk. Their foot prints in the snow around our house have left it looking like an elementary school playground. Nearly every morning we see a group of 12 or 13 deer travel past our house on their way back to the shelter of the junipers in the foothills.
The temperature is brisk and clear and perfect for afternoon walks. Our neighbors three dogs usually tag along and they, combined with the snow, have made a simple walk quite an adventure. They get so excited about taking a walk that they race and chase each other on the snow-packed road in front and in back of us. They look like beginners on an ice rink as they slide, miss their mark, and fall in their game of tag with each other. We, meanwhile, must keep a close eye on the dogs to keep from inadvertently becoming a part of their game.