Happy Halloween!

Oh sNOw!

This view isn't normal for 30 October. It doesn't even rise to the level of abnormal. In fact, it's apocalyptic.

As you see, we experienced historic snowfall overnight. Not merely for the date (29-30 October) but we seem to have set a record for amount of snow totals within roughly a 12-hour time period--in any season! It's unprecedented even for mid-winter.

Around the Lodge are spots covered with about 18 inches of snow, and other areas where nearly 2 feet accumulated, far, far in excess of what we initially were led to expect. Our snow plow man is getting an early start to his busy season. We lost power, and are thankful for the generator.

The sun is now out, the skies have cleared, the snow has begun melting. But with so much, it won't go away any time soon.

Pre-Halloween Horror

Early snowfall--fun or fearsome? Hard to say.

What's unusual about this first snow is the timing. We still have vividly-tinted golden and orange trees, here and there. The combination of autumn foliage and white snow is strange...yet beautiful.

It's a sunny, blue-sky day. I had occasion to take a long country drive through hilly terrain with mountain vistas. Breathtaking views.

We're having a break today, but there's snow on the way, perhaps even our first Nor'Easter tomorrow night. Predicted snowfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches. That's quite a lot for October! Even for November!

Ruth and Jewel opened their Snow Wrestling season this morning. Even though the conditions weren't exactly stellar.

More Typical of the Season

The roses are still blooming and budding...even my forsythia is responding to the mildness by throwing out a few yellow blossoms.

Otherwise, the views and colours round the Lodge are appropriately autumnal.

What Season?

My calendar says it's mid-October. The vividly coloured leaves and the persistent winds (all too rapidly shearing said leaves from the trees) say it too.

But the mild days and cool nights and frequent rains--sometimes gentle, sometimes heavy--make the roses think it's prime season for blooming. Several of them are putting on a lovely late display. I'm tempted to cut the blossoms and bring them indoors. But it's so nice--if incongruous--to see roses in the garden surrounded by fall foliage that I'm leaving them in place...unless a hard freeze comes along.

The View From My Window on Andrew Sullivan's The Dish, Redux

For the second time one of my Big Lake photos has been featured on Andrew Sullivan's blog.

The View From Your Window.

Last time it was a summer view of the M.S. Mount Washington sailing past Mount Major.

Wedding Anniversary

On which we celebrate and joyfully remember a wonderful, happy, and enjoyable day--and the many wonderful, happy, and enjoyable years that followed.

Return of the Sun

I did my usual (at least for now) Thursday to Tuesday stint at the lake cottage. It was characterised by incessant rain, very damp dog-walking sessions, and piercing silence. No loons in the Bay. No seasonal neighbours puttering about with their hammers and chainsaws and motorboats. And the fog so thick on Sunday that I missed all the crossings of the Big White Boat.

My search committee beat its October 1st deadline by a day, all the materials were uploaded and all went smoothly and feedback has been positive. After lots of mental and creative activity, my brain could rest.

Under these conditions, not surprising that I achieved much writing and much itinerary planning. The Chap was with us for about 24 hours. He continued with some closing-up tasks (in the rain) and helped with the dog-walking and brewed the Sunday morning coffee.

Yesterday I had a meeting, very likely my last, for a committee on which I've served something like 8 years. We ran a bit later than usual and I didn't begin the homeward drive until about a quarter past 6. I was startled by how dark it was at that hour.

The sunshine returned today after a long, long absence. Leaves are falling, the chipmunks and squirrels frantically dart about gathering food, and in some places the foliage is quite vivid, though still far from peak. The seasonal views will be much improved by the lifting of that curtain of cloud and fog and rain we've got used to.

Big day tomorrow,annual celebration. Rain or shine, this is always one of my favourite weeks of the year!