frightful & beautiful

We received our first snow of the season yesterday. Pacific Northwest snow tends to stop everyone in their tracks; whoever drives does so at his own peril. Because it is wet and heavy, it always turns to a treacherous combination of compact snow and ice when cars pass over it. Add hills to the mix, and there is plenty of slipping and sliding for ill-prepared drivers.

I worked a few hours yesterday and made the decision to leave early when I could see conditions were worsening. No matter which of three possible routes I chose to make the mile and a half drive home, there would be a hill to climb at the end. Were I able to maintain momentum, it would have been fine. But when the cars in front of me stopped, I knew I wouldn't be going anywhere (and given the slick and icy conditions, I was particularly thankful for the fact that I wasn't going anywhere). I had chains in my trunk, but had always had one of the more adept masculine set nearby to do the dirty work. No such luck on this day.

The long and the short of it is this: I'm thankful that there are still people in the world who will pull to the side of the road and help a stranger put chains on her car. It took nearly an hour to get there, but I made it home safely.

And here I stay, enjoying the quiet magic of the snow.

Backyard photo taken by kirsten.michelle, 01 dec 2007
See more of my first snow photos here.