Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow

It started last night around six o'clock and hasn't stopped. The ground is blanketed with a crystal, powdery, bright white layer of gorgeous snow--and we've no place to go and no place to be. Andrew's been strumming out Coldplay's Strawberry Swing on our six string and I've just finished cleaning up from a Jack Johnson-esque breakfast of banana pancakes. There's a red bird that has been fluttering around the courtyard for the last hour that looks postcard picture perfect in the evergreen trees against the crisp snow. If I thought I could capture it on camera, I might venture outside but the wind and the part snow/part sleet combination is pressing me back into the couch, so here I must stay. Who'd a thunk it, snow--and it's not even Christmas! Left me totally nonplussed.

Last night, however, we did venture out in the snow--rather, we were out and the snow started falling. We went to dinner and literally drove right into the storm. By the time we came out of the restaurant, there was at least an inch covering the truck already. When we got home we did what you always do when it snows: make snow cream! drink hot chocolate! watch a movie! Which, btw--we watched Pixar's Up and it was soooo cuuuuute!! If you haven't seen it, do. I laughed and cried. And it was a cartoon. So, see it! Anyway, snow cream. There are multiple recipes out there and I think you could probably think about what's in real ice cream and make up your own recipe. We just used what we had in the house, which was milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. And of course, fresh pow-pow. ;)

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix 'em all up, then pour it over at least 3 quarts of snow (taste it and adjust accordingly), stirring to mix until it's an ice cream/shaved ice consistency. A sweet, scandalous treat! Annnd for lack of refrigerator space, just stick it on the back porch to keep cold.

The courtyard this morning: simply lovely.

Anyway, we also had a couch monkey last night, a young gentleman afraid the snow would keep him from calling on his love this Saturday morn, since he lives over the river and through the woods and we live a stone's throw from his fair maiden. We didn't reaaaally think it would be a problem to drive, but love makes one do crazy things, so we threw him a bone (and a pillow) and let him crash on the sofa.

Now. What to do, what to do. Tap-tap-tap (drumming fingers on the keys). Probably a nap. And/or a book. And/or a pot of tea. {sigh} I just love snow days!