walkin' in a winter wonderland

Things were still frosty up at the school on Wednesday.

This is the very best sort of winter stuff. The roads were bare and dry, but the trees got all coated with frozen frost. As you can see, the moss on the ground under the tree branch is frost-free!

And the fascinating thing is that just down the hill, about 100 feet lower in elevation, there is no frost at all. There was a line as sharp as if it had been drawn with a ruler to show the frost zone. By 2PM, everything had warmed up and it felt almost balmy. It's amazing how still air at 38 degrees is SO much warmer than a wet wind at 32 degrees.

Today, the temperature is up to 40, and people are running around in shorts and sandals. OK, so they're also wearing knee socks. But holy crow, Louise,
sandals??!!

Today is the shortest day of the year. For those of you in more temperate climes, that means that the sun has not yet risen by 8 AM and will set shortly after 4 PM. The shadows fall straight north at noon, and they are quite long. The sun is a watery, dime-sized thing, squinching through the overcast, and the coldest part of winter is still to come. Right about New Year's Day, we usually get a really good cold snap around here. It's been a while since I saw ice in the Willamette, but you never know. I'm ready for anything. We have a gas stove, gas water-heater, gas fireplace, and if all else fails, I have twenty pounds of candles stashed in the garage. I WILL get a hot cup of tea in the morning!

If any of you are in sunny, warm place, please post pictures. I need to be reminded what summer looks like.