Day 223 – Umbrellas in the Snow

Umbrellas in the Snow

Day 223

The Snow-Storm by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives the snow, and, driving o’er the fields,
Seems nowhere to alight: the whited air
Hides hill and woods, the river, and the heaven,
And veils the farmhouse at the garden’s end.
The sled and traveller stopped, the courier’s feet
Delated, all friends shut out, the housemates sit
Around the radiant fireplace, enclosed
In a tumultuous privacy of storm.
Come see the north wind’s masonry.
Out of an unseen quarry evermore
Furnished with tile, the fierce artificer
Curves his white bastions with projected roof
Round every windward stake, or tree, or door.
Speeding, the myriad-handed, his wild work
So fanciful, so savage, nought cares he
For number or proportion. Mockingly,
On coop or kennel he hangs Parian wreaths;
A swan-like form invests the hiddden thorn;
Fills up the famer’s lane from wall to wall,
Maugre the farmer’s sighs; and at the gate
A tapering turret overtops the work.
And when his hours are numbered, and the world
Is all his own, retiring, as he were not,
Leaves, when the sun appears, astonished Art
To mimic in slow structures, stone by stone,
Built in an age, the mad wind’s night-work,
The frolic architecture of the snow.

It is snowing and blowing and oh so cold here in Michigan tonight with lake effect snow bands causing the view outside my bay window to change from the sight of Mr. and Mrs. Fennell’s house to a sheet of swirling white.  At the moment, the view is pretty clear – give it five minutes!  I am not the biggest fan of cold weather, but I do enjoy a good snow storm, especially when I don’t have to work the next day!

I waited all day long to take my photo, knowing that the snow was going to start in the late afternoon and as soon as we had a bit of accumulation, I borrowed Samantha’s pink plastic umbrella (to protect the camera, of course!) and headed out to the back yard.  I had originally just planned on using flash and stopping the snow in its tracks but moments after stepping outside, Bob came out to tell me that my mom was on the phone and she was wanting to hear my voice.  I will admit to a bit of frustration at the timing and I did sigh a big sigh.  So I lifted my clear pink plastic umbrella and jockeyed for position at the door with the dog who INSISTED on coming out with me.  I looked up at the umbrella and at the snow lightly coating the outer side and at the light shining through it.  And thanked Mom for calling when she did as I snapped 5 quick shots of what I was seeing.

Tomorrow’s forecast?  Wind coming in from the north west and more lake effect snow bands with a total of 6 to 8 inches of snow.  Bring it on!!!!