la Valerosa
Call her green and the winter cannot fade her
Posted on March 17, 2014
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Another day, another snowstorm, this time turning all the promised greens of St. Patrick’s day a wintery white. Apart from a brief stroll through the zoo and a stolen hour for coffee and croissants in Dupont Circle, I spent most of the weekend at home working and flipping through photos from time spent in Argentina a few years ago.
Since I’m deep in winter denial at this point, I thought it would be fun to spend the next few days reminiscing about a lovely mild winter in Buenos Aires.
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The winter and her idle hands
Posted on March 4, 2014
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One of the bright sides to this snow storm—hopefully the last of the year—was that much of it happened over daylight hours instead of in the middle of the night. Around midday, I pulled on my winter boots, piled on the layers, and headed outside, eager for a little exercise and a chance to enjoy the snow while it was still pure and unsullied by boots and plows.
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Gray and nestled in
Posted on March 3, 2014
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Another snow storm. Sigh. It’s hard to remember the days when we thought snow was fun. I dug up a photo of the Mister from the blizzard of 2010, back when a snow storm was about the funnest thing we could imagine. We only had two that year, so maybe that’s the difference. Work has been canceled so I’m going back to bed. Wake me when spring comes back around again.
Cold shoulder, colder skies
Posted on February 20, 2014
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When the weather is warmer and the days are longer, I pass through Rock Creek Park almost every day, usually on my bike. Lately it’s been too cold and icy to ride, and I think the lack of exercise has contributed to my cabin fever. Over the weekend, the Mister had a pile of homework to do, so to get out of his hair, I went for a little hike in the Park.
Normally, the route I took would be a short, brisk walk, dodging bikers and joggers all the way. The recent storm, however, left the park silent and white, the trail still buried under several inches of snow and ice. Picking my way along the frozen path took nearly four times as long as it normally would, and the entire time I only saw two other people. It was a tiring and slippery walk, but I was happy for the chance to see the park quieted by snow.
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All aflush and aflutter
Posted on February 19, 2014
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Rainy and snowy weather can make for a lovely visit to the zoo. With the crowds snug and warm at home, I have the place mostly to myself and can linger as long as I please. We had a second light snow on Saturday, and I found myself at the bird house, watching the storks stretch their wings and blend into the snow, while the flamingos fluttered about in their steamy pond and struck a stark contrast.
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White as snow, nowhere to go
Posted on February 18, 2014
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We had another snow day after last week’s storm. On days like this, I like to get out for a walk early and have a look around before the hustle and bustle of the city turns the pristine snow to gray slush.
It’s hard to go far on those mornings. The buses aren’t running, the cabs are charging extra, and the sidewalks aren’t yet shoveled. Still, we made it as far as Rock Creek Park, tromping around in snow up to our shins, watching children go zipping down hills on colorful sleds, and taking a few minutes to make a panda out of snow.
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The snow kissed the curb
Posted on February 17, 2014
A snowy hike at 3:00 a.m.
It’s been four years since we’ve had anything like the snowstorm that rolled through last week. Something like 8 inches of snow in one night. I know I’ve whined a lot about winter lately, but it’s hard not to get caught up in the excitement of a coming storm, especially since it’s been so long since we’ve had that much snow in a single day.
The heart of the storms always seem to come in the middle of the night when most of the city is sound asleep. That is my favorite part. When all the cars have given up for the night and the plows have yet to do their work. The streets and sidewalks disappear under a white plain, and for a little while the city is silent. Around 3 a.m., I spied this lonely walker making his way through the snow in the middle of the road, an eerie and otherworldly sight on what is normally a busy street.
Light December snow on the left; Heavy February snowstorm on the right
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Endless winter
Posted on February 11, 2014
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Someday I’ll stop complaining about the cold and gray and snow. Today is not that day. I got brought down by another cold over the weekend, and the one time I ventured outdoors it snowed. More—possibly a lot more—is forecast for tomorrow night.
Winter hasn’t gotten to me this badly since the first one I spent in Michigan, now, eight years ago. Next year I’ll need to remember to schedule more travel during the cold months–preferably somewhere warm and green. For now, I keep trying to snap myself out of my funk with fresh flowers, cooking lots of fresh vegetables, and eating entire boxes of strawberries if I feel like it.
Go to sleep and dream of snow
Posted on January 22, 2014
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Everyone loves a snow day, and even though I’m recovering from a bad cold, I couldn’t help but sneak out for a few minutes to twirl around in the swirling flakes. We’re promised bitter temperatures tomorrow, but for now, I’m happy to delight in a magical wintery snowfall.
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Baby, it’s cold out there
Posted on January 7, 2014
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Brrrr… these have been cold days. Much of the country seems to be buried under snow or warm blankets. We’ve been coping by staying mostly at home, wearing extra layers, drinking lots of hot tea and coffee, and working through our Netflix queue.
Hope you stay cozy and warm indoors.
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Snowy snowy night
Posted on January 6, 2014
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While much of the northeast and midwest were hit with a pretty intense blizzard last week, we just got a dusting of snow and a day of bitterly cold and windy weather. Having grown up in Texas, I’ll probably always find snow pretty irresistible, so after dinner I went out and wandered around the neighborhood with my camera. Here are a few snowy images from that night.
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Winter’s first storm
Posted on December 9, 2013
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Sunday morning saw the start of our first winter storm of the year. For several hours, everything was coated with a lovely layer of soft white snow. I spent the afternoon baking cookies with a few of my favorite holiday movies playing in the background.
As the day wore on, the snow turned to a far less pleasant wintery mix. The ice and sleet will surely make my Monday morning commute interesting but I’m glad to have had a few hours to enjoy the snowy scene today. Has this winter storm been affecting you?
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la Valerosa 