Snow Day!

As you can see, Cassie loves snow as much as any child and we were up and out before sunrise this morning, despite the fact that all area schools (and even the library!) are closed today. She was extremely playful and frolicsome and I couldn't resist venturing out with her and my camera as daybreak dawned.

Snow days have become the only true "days off" now, with weekends, holidays, and vacations being so crowded with activities: shopping, cooking, laundry, cleaning, rushing. Everyone I spoke to was looking forward to a day when you are forced to stay indoors and unwind; maybe read, write, draw, watch a little TV, bake, really PLAY without worrying about TIME. I still have a list of things I'd like to accomplish (and unfortunately that includes shoveling the driveway!) and the girls have school projects that need to be worked on, but I hope this will be a FUN and frolicsome day for all of us! I may take a break from my more serious projects (I finished the bedskirt for our bedroom makeover and the January quilt is coming along) to work on a fun Valentine's Day decoration. Can't wait to get started! But first, some more views of the world from where I live...

Here is the view of our backyard before sunrise. In this shot, the flash went off. Notice the difference in the next shot, taken without a flash.

Here is a spruce tree near the lake, again, this time with the flash lighting up the falling snow.

A similar shot without the flash.