So Apparently I’m Not the Only One Who Loves a Good Snow Day…

Report:

Hello, from the SNOWY Pacific Northwest!

I sent Mavis a comment Monday morning, since we all know she is crazy for the white stuff. Really, if you are in Western Washington unless you are in the mountains, snow of any amount is a rare occasion…and a pretty big deal. She responded with a request for pictures and I thought I’d send a little report as well.

I’ll have to watch the national news tonight. They usually make fun of us as the region can really shut down with snow, even with less than an inch. In our defense, what folks don’t realize is that our region is really hilly. The snow when we get it is very wet and dense. This is because we sit between the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges and also the proximity to the Pacific ocean and Puget Sound.

This stuff turns almost immediately to ice. Hills and ice, oh my. A recipe for lots of stress and lots of business for the car shops. You can see some videos on YouTube, search under Snow and Seattle. Try to see the one with the Metro bus sliding sideways down the hillclimb. Some videos are set to music, good times!

Between Sunday and Monday, our region got hit with a good sized snow storm. Areas North and East of Seattle got between 6 and 10 inches. That’s where I live and know the most about. Other areas of the region vary. I heard on the radio that Mavis’ old stomping ground didn’t get much earlier, but is now getting hit.

The ferry service is shut down. Many flights are cancelled and others are delayed out of SeaTac airport. School is out to the delight of all the kiddos. Cancellations right and left. We are hunkering down. People, for us this is cold. Wind chill was 9 degrees this morning. Not to complain, I’ve seen what’s been happening in the Midwest and East Coast. Hunkering is a good word. Unless you participate in Winter sports and/or outdoor activities, most folks out here aren’t prepared for this weather.

My two dogs just turned twelve last month. This is the third time they have seen snow of any consequence in their lifetimes. Funny, if I didn’t have the boys I would have never remembered the last time it snowed. I’ll walk the dogs and let them have some fun in the snow.

They will both go bonkers. Both of them will pick up snow in their fur and come home with mini-snowballs on their legs and bellies. I have a good, easy method of cleaning them up and I’ll bet they sleep like stones this evening.

I’ll be making a big pot of soup today. It’ll be tasty, filling, warm me up and have enough for leftovers (the best qualities of a winter recipe). I did have some hyacinths coming up and starting to bloom. They were the only sign of life in my garden. I don’t suppose the blooms will make it, but hopefully the bulbs will. Next year, right? I also had pruning the fruit trees on my to-do list. That will definitely wait until the snow goes away.

I will be creating a new garden at my parent’s home this spring. I’m really looking forward to it. The first “extra” goal this year is to learn how to take care of their fruit trees. The trees are getting to be too much for my parent’s to deal with anymore. I had a vague idea of documenting my new garden space and sending it into Mavis. Guess I’m now ahead of the game as I’m reporting on snow!

I hope you have the best of weeks. I do enjoy this blog and reading the comments everyone makes. Be safe this winter season and sweet dreams and imaginings of gardens to come!

~ Diane

♥♥♥

WOW! Diane, you are hired! 😉

Now that is what I call a snow report! Thank you to everyone who submitted your snow day photos. I was SHOCKED to open my inbox this morning to find over 50 emails filled with your stories and snow pictures. I tried to include at least one photo from everyone that sent in photos.

Thank you so much for showing up here everyday, this little online community we’ve built, it’s so freakin’ awesome. I love you guys!

Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone,

~Mavis

10″ of beautiful snow in south Everett, WA. Thanks John!

4-6 inches in Buckley, Wa! Thanks Sarah!

Downtown Bellevue checking in with  7+ inches

“We woke up to about 2 inches of snow in Federal Way today. That wasn’t too bad, but I bet you remember the ice that covers everything and makes traveling up and down our hills difficult. Our schools are closed and few people are driving today. It is really gusty and still snowing, so tomorrow could be another snow day! I made sure my little hummingbird friends have full feeders and they have been hanging around all morning.”

~ Melissa in Federal Way, WA

21 degrees and SNOW on Bainbridge Island = a hearty snow day breakfast. Thanks Mona!

Star Lake in Auburn/Federal Way.

“Fun snow day in Mukilteo. The dog got dive-bombed by the humming birds whose food was frozen. Brought the feeders inside for a bit and now they are happy.” ~Randi

“Millcreek – 10 inches and not done yet.” ~Susie

“Kipper enjoying our Seattle backyard. It was about 15 degrees counting windchill when photo taken. The hens are now in Kippy’s old kennel in our home. No heater in coop!” ~ Martina

“Hi there from Sammamish, Washington! 9 inches of snow here, office is closed – perfect  On my fourth cup of coffee. I should go shovel the driveway.” ~Ingrida

“I was supposed to drive into Seattle at 4:40 am for work but 8″ of snow overnight and icy roads here in Freeland. Meanwhile the usual slalom is happening on Queen Anne hill I hear.” 😉 ~ Roni

“Hi Mavis – we got 2, maybe 3 inches in Seattle, around the Greenlake area. Here are some early morning pics from our snowy walk around Greenlake.” ~Christine

“Snow day in Lakewood, Wa.” ~ Jamie

“Snow day for my family, north end of Lake Washington in Kenmore.” ~ Christy

“Hi Mavis! I live south of Issaquah on Squak Mountain at about the 400 foot level.  Here’s some pics of the snow ‘flurries’ we got!  Yeah, right!  They didn’t predict this as usual. Since our house is down a 300 foot driveway we’re not going anywhere anytime soon!  Glad I stocked up on groceries and such!” ~ Pam

“8” here in Snohomish, WA. I love this!! We moved here from Alaska almost 5 years ago and this is the most snow we have seen here. My dog came with us from Alaska, she loves this snow and was just standing in it while we were out shoveling.” ~ Susan

“Good snow day!  We got a bit of snow overnight and it’s cold – brrrr – currently a brisk 27. Peace out Girl Scout.” 😉 ~Carla on Whidbey Island

“Here is my happy boy Adam.  He’s had a great day of sledding and snowball fights with the neighborhood kids. He loves looking at photos of Lucy! Renton 4”” ~Sarah B.

“We have 8 inches of snow here in Issaquah! (Squak mountain). My dogs are loving it! They can’t get enough running around and eating it!” ~ Sarah

“Snow in Tillamook County. We’re not in western Washington but got snow all the way to the beach.” ~ Kathy

“Hi Mavis! Saw your post on facebook requesting snow pictures, so thought I would share! We got 8 ½” up here on the King/Snohomish County line!” ~ Tamera

“Northern Minnesota.  We had snow but it’s really snow on top of snow on top of snow.” ~ Julie

“We got about 10-12 inches in Port Angeles!!” ~ Cora

Thanks Suzanne!

Astoria, Oregon snow day photo from Alexandra

“I’ve been so jealous of your snow pictures, but now I have one of my own!” ~ Michelle

“Hi Mavis,

We definitely have snow!!  Thought it was going to be three inches.  Guess it was a bit more than that. This is our party patio with our outdoor wood fired pizza oven.” ~ Peggy

“Hi Mavis, we are over here in western Washington near a town called South Prairie. That’s close to Bonney Lake. It started snowing yesterday (Sunday) and hasn’t let up since. It’s nothing compared to what you get but we’re pretty happy with it.”  🙂 Beth

“9” in Snohomish WA. Fun to see my homestead like this.”-Michelle

“Snow today in Eastern Washington. It’s still coming down.” ~ Erica

“Hi Mavis,

 We got between 8 and 10 inches of snow over a 30 hour period (Sunday-Monday) here in Mukilteo, WA. It was 25 degrees F on Monday too. So cold, but my kids enjoyed playing in the snow after bundling up in the makeshift snow clothes that we could throw together. (My 6 year old insisted on wearing the 18 month snow bibs that we got my eldest when we lived in Utah! She looked like she was wearing snow short-alls!) I made soup, dinner rolls, bread, brownie pudding cake, pasta with sausage and tomato sauce, and lots of hot apple cider and hot chocolate!

My husband shoveled our driveway and a kind neighbor with 4 wheel drive drove me to the post office so I could mail packages for my business. I’m 8 months pregnant now, so I’m not doing any heavy lifting of snow and such and definitely not walking on the ice, even with my boots and cramp-ons!

The snow is pretty to look at, but because we have SO MANY hills in our town, it makes for very treacherous travel. Thankfully, we don’t get this much snow more than once a decade or so. The last big snow we saw was Feb 2012 when we got 8 inches – 2 weeks after a local lady told me it doesn’t snow here.” ~ Veronica

“We got a total of about 4”.” ~ From Mrs. HB’s MIL

Christa from Eatonville, WA.

HAPPY TUESDAY!