It snowed today--just a light dusting. I would estimate it at 1/4 inch in my house, a few inches in the hills. But in the Willamette Valley of Oregon--well, that's enough to shut down the schools and send everyone scurrying for the safety of their warm houses.




Since my kids don't know the meaning of sleeping in, they were up at 6:30 and out playing in the yard at 7:30...for ten whole minutes. They went out, stomped around in their snow boots, made some lovely snow angels, marveled at the thin glaze of ice in the puddles...and then stomped back in, flinging their wet snow clothes all over the living room and declaring themselves ready for hot chocolate.

It was our kitty Charlie's first experience with snow. He thought he wanted to go outside--he dashed out as soon as I opened the door for the girls. But as soon as his feet hit the white stuff, he bee-lined to the snow-free patch of driveway underneath our car. And that's where he huddled, refusing to move, glaring at the snow, until I went outside, coaxed him over to me, and carried him in.



Later on, it started snowing again, and Charlie was alarmed. He sat by the window, keeping a close eye on the snow and meowing angrily at it.



The girls, however, were enchanted. They stood there for minutes on end (that's a long time when you're 2, 4, and 6), quietly, just staring out at the snow, watching it softly fall.