White stuff

I recently waxed poetic (or maybe I waxed corny) about the beauty of autumn around these parts.  It's been a lovely fall, notable for the abundant sunshine, which is always welcome since we're facing six months of gloom in our near future.  The photograph above illustrates the intense colors I've enjoyed out my back door.

On Friday, the season's first snow arrived.  It was late this year; we've actually had snow in September two of the four winters I've lived here.  Part of me dreaded the delay:  the old wives' tale holds that the later the first snow, the more severe the winter.  But there is even competition among old wives, it seems, because another version says that if there is no snow on the ground at Halloween, it will be a mild winter.  So who knows.

What I do know is that this is the scene yesterday at sunrise:

And while I'm no photographer, look at these amazing colors:

And if you'll forgive me just one more amateurish shot, here's that tree from the top...gorgeous leaves gone, a skeleton wearing a coat of snow:

It melted by afternoon, but we know there will be more.  Yes, winter can be challenging, but the first snow is always a treat.