Winter Wonderland
Last weekend (Saturday the 13th) it snowed in Seattle. The entire city was shocked from its mild-weathered stupor into winter white. Before this, not a single mountain in Washington had decent base, and we were wondering if the ski season would ever start. (I spent most of the weekend in the house, watching the snow fall from my window or on the television, since I was avoiding the general public–trying to minimize the sideways glances, stares and concerned questions about my shiner.)
This initial snowfall was followed by a week of freezing cold temperatures.The freezing temps meant that our city of seven hills became one big, slick, slopped sheet of ice. Yay. But most everything melted by Tuesday… Unfortunately, another big snowstorm was forecasted for Wednesday.
Schools closed in anticipation. Childcare was arranged. Folks worked from home or fled the office early to beat the storm. Everyone awaited the flakes. And nothing happened.
… Until about 8:30 p.m. And if I wanted to sum it up quickly, I’d say it hasn’t really stopped snowing since.
Our house under a blanket of snow
Mailboxes
Wednesday night, it DUMPED. I worked from home Thursday while we watched the snow accumulate outside our window. The local news stayed on all day long. Nate and I felt sorry for all the reporters stuck at the truck stop in North Bend, standing in the deserted streets of Port Angeles, at the bottom of Queen Anne, or in the Junction in West Seattle.
It snowed all day long. And then everything turned to ice. Again. Since another storm was forecasted to hit on Saturday, a number of holiday parties and plays were postponed or rescheduled. Others went ahead as planned, but Nate and I stayed in anyway. We planned to head to Snoqualmie for a day of skiing on Sunday, but they closed the pass. Go figure.
Ballard walk by the Locks
The shades hide my shiner
Shilshole Bay Marina
Wintery sailboats
Nate and Leif Ericson
Strike a pose
Instead we walked around Ballard and visited with as many friends as we know in the neighborhood.
By the way, it’s Sunday night and it’s still snowing. I think this is getting a little old. Seattle’s not used to Winter Wonderland.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 am
That’s so awesome!
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:32 pm
If we’re being honest here, I think it’s getting a little old too (at least here in Portland). We have had NINE DAYS of this. It would be wonderful and fine if our respective cities had the experience and the equipment to deal with such an event, but they don’t, so here we are…stuck.