First Snow of the Season

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by Arundhati Basu

I am smitten by snow. There is no earthly reason why I should not. I do not care about the slushy aftermath of it, really, I do not give two hoots. Because right now it is glorious. I am wrapped up in my fur throw watching it snow prettily, a few extremely buttery garlic knots and pizza slices in my stomach. It has been snowing since morning and my world is quite so white and wonderful.

Earlier on, I put on my boots and warm jacket and rushed out to the waterfront. The park had turned pristine white, only footprints showing through the snow (someone was out running too), brown autumnal leaves now caked with snow, the dark brown of the barks adding some contrast to the startling white outside. I was hoping to meet Alex again. He is the best looking boy I have met in some time. Now Alex is a golden retriever before your eyebrows touch your scalps there. He is quite the blonde, with well-groomed hair standing in little tufts and bits about his face, and he has a weakness for jumping on unsuspecting humans to share some of his drool-some happiness. Alas, I did not spot Alex today. I had met him by the waters yesterday so I made my way back there hoping to catch him playing in the snow. Instead I saw, shivering with delight through a curtain of snow that the waters had turned a shade of steely teal, globules of snow dissolving into the ripples and sheathing the boulders. The bridge and the cranes at the port — they had vanished behind a wall of dense white fog.

Then Adi and I walked to the store a couple of miles away, not a good idea – which we realised in a while – but besides fingers turning immensely numb inside the gloves because I was taking photos more than walking, I did spot a squirrel duo up in the branches of a tree with blobs of snow around on them. One chomping on a nut and the other had spotted just one, so it was chuffed. A little tableau of survival playing out right there in front of our eyes, though blurred by snow.

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Arundhati Basu

The great affair in my life is to travel. I count myself immensely fortunate that my partner shares this passion. We are a team that likes to spend time planning and plotting out places to go. Destination check, flights check, accommodation check, cheesy grins check. Off we go.

79 thoughts on “First Snow of the Season”

  6. I love snow! I wish it snowed where I live, but it never does! The only time it did was for one day back in 2011, but that was a freak one that will apparently not happen again for 50 years 😦

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Isn’t it? I am thrilled to bits 🙂 Let’s raise our hot cocoa to white Christmas days, Anni. I will be in Italy soon and then India, so I doubt I shall get any snow soon, so might as savour whatever I get before we travel. xx

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Oooh, I felt chilly looking at your lovely photos. We so rarely get snow on the coast and, if we do, it melts in a day. However the Nicois hinterland and the southern Alps have plenty of snow, as has where we’re spending Xmas and New Year. Can’t wait!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. A lovely winter wonderland! Really beautiful shots of the trees and the chubby squirrels! Too bad you didn’t see Alex there, he might have liked the squirrels 🙂 Love the mysterious footsteps of the one legged man and the scurrying little prints surrounding it 😉 -Neek

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you Neek. Right? Next time I am going to get Alex on my camera and stalk him. His old master might feel suitably alarmed. I think that chubby squirrel up on the tree and Alex have best-friend possibilities written all over their faces. You noticed the little prints! And as for the one-legged man, let your inner Sherlock reign 😉 xx

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I know, I know. You lucky girl! Brighton and snow should be a darling match. I hope you catch its snowy gorgeousness for us and some lovely hot chocolate at Choccywoccydoodah. xx

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  22. AAAHH…this answered my question on my blog post…SO MUCH SNOW!! What fun!!!!!!!! I have only encountered this amount of snow on our visit to Switzerland a couple of years ago and I didn’t get to play in it because we (read: Hubby) were being all proper and touristy, clicking polite pictures standing by the road-side, with a little smile plastered on our faces…hmph!! I am sure you had a ball in all this snow and that too right around Christmas!! Alex sounds adorable..I had a golden retriever named ‘Shine’ before we left India. We had to give him away to our relatives (so thank god we still get to meet him when we visit)…but leaving him was the most heart-breaking thing that I have ever done in my life! 😦 Anyway. Enjoy girl, and make a snow-man and name him after me haha!! xx

    P.S- Falling snow flakes on your blog are soo pretty!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I think it is all wp, Mallika, viz. the snowflakes on my blog. Aww I can imagine your husband taking photos and being all correct. You should have attacked him from behind 😉 That would have given him a lesson or two in politeness.
      I am sorry you had to leave Shine behind during your move. It must have broken your heart. It did mine to leave ours, Tuktuk, behind. I always wondered what he thought about us suddenly disappearing. But then he was with my in-laws and he was okay. Yet I know he must have missed us incredibly. It is such a pity that they cannot speak which makes it even more saddening because they keep the sadness within. Anyway, next time there is snow we will probably be travelling, so the snow might hafta wait till January when I get back home :0) Have a lovely week you! xx

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  23. I love your enthusiasm for the snow. Great photos. I’ve lived in Canada all my life and you’d think I’d be immune to the charms of the white stuff. Most people here curse it, but I love it (except when I have to drive).

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yeah the practicality of it after a few days must be terrible. But there is something about it. It makes the world look wonderful all at once. Plus there is the fact that I saw snow for the first time in my life five years ago. The charm has not worn off 🙂 xx

      Liked by 1 person

  26. Just woke up to a beautiful snowfall this morning and your lovely shots are tempting me to get outside and take some pics too…. we’ll see! Have a wonderful day sweetie!

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Ah, the first cold of the season as well. That’s too bad, but Zicam has worked wonders for me in the past if you want to give that a try! I am not familiar with Mills & Boon! Will have to check it out.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Well since autumn, this would be my third. A big thing for someone who used to feel inordinately proud about her immunity to colds. Mills & Boon, ah I used to think I could read them till I turn 80 but alas the pleasure has diminished though I might pick up one randomly.

        Liked by 1 person

  29. Snow transforms everything. Oh! that photo off toward the sea looks timeless. Not too long ago, a couple of weeks, we were in Central Oregon where it was 16 degrees (F) when we got up in the morning, eventually rising to 28 degrees by mid-afternoon. In that weather the bare tree branches sported a thin coat of white frost, making them look very special when the light hit them. 🙂 Very magical.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Ah, good point! (about the change of seasons) We’re getting gray skies today but they promise a bit of clearing and sun tomorrow. In Seattle, that’s big, and I imagine it’s like that back in England where you were for so many years!

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