I have suddenly found myself a great lover of SNOW! Now, there is a difference between snow -- which is mushy, wet, often dirty and generally a pain in the ass -- and SNOW! SNOW! is this...

... and I love it.
Growing up, I wasn't a big fan of snow. It was always ruining my birthday parties and preventing me from going to the Hessmart or driving around aimlessly or doing other very important things with my teenage friends.
I learned to appreciate snow more when I got to college. Specifically, during the first week of our second semester freshman year, when a giant snowstorm blew through Maryland and got us two days of class cancellations. I don't really remember anything after I purchased that $8.99 handle of vodka, but I'm pretty sure it was a fun couple of days.
But suddenly I find myself just genuinely LOVING snow itself. I don't enjoy skiing or snowboarding or jumping off the second floor balcony into the snow pile on the patio which my husband did yesterday oh my god. I just like seeing it out there. (And, apparently, stomping all they way to the harbor and back in snow boots with a bread bag taped over my camera. It took three hours and was a very good workout. In case you were wondering.)
SNOW!
I may be a little bit biased. First of all, we've never lost power during a storm for more than an hour (and even that is rare). Being trapped in the house with no TV, no internet, no stove, no HEAT -- that would be a different story. But with the power on... well, when I tire of the Law and Order marathons that by some miracle of USA programming have been playing all day every day, I get out my crock pot, the Kitchenaid mixer and fire up the oven. And when I'm done cooking, I eat. And then I do some laundry, read, wash the floors, go to yoga, DUST, or uploaded a gazillion photos to flickr. I am very good at entertaining myself.
The second big thing we have in our favor is that we can get by for quite a while without driving anywhere. Both our offices are within walking distance (and, uh, mine has sort of been closed since Friday at noon... don't hate me), as is our gym, my yoga studio and two grocery stores. If I had to shovel out the car and try to drive on our street (which, by the way, has not been plowed even once) or if, say, a tree had fallen on my car, I'd be singing a different tune. But my Vermont-raised husband was smart enough to stow our car in a parking garage on Friday morning, and I'm quite happy to leave it there until April.

And lastly, I have absolutely nowhere to be. There are benefits to having no social life! It's the third component in the snow day trifecta.
In summary: SNOW SNOW SNOW. SNOW. SNOW!
================================
As I'm about to hit "publish", flurries have just started to fall again. We are supposed to get another ten to twenty inches tonight. If my newly discovered love of snow has a limit, we're about to find out where it is.
Gorgeous pictures! Sounds like you are having lots of fun, which makes me jealous. We're supposed to get 6 to 10 inches tonight... but working from home means no snow days for me. :-(
Posted by: Life of a Doctor's Wife | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 05:25 PM
Love the photos! And I too would be loving the snow if I got things like snow days. But I don't. I can barely "work from home." So I hate it.
Posted by: Liz | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 06:11 PM
i heart the snow too. i grew up in the prairies of canada and was spoiled by the white stuff. now i live in vancouver and it looks like we should be hosting the summer olympics instead of the winter one... i wish i could frollick in your pictures! i love the one of the buried cars!
Posted by: K-Tee | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 06:14 PM
It looks beautiful! I love all the pictures. And I would not mind a 6-day weekend due to snow either. I imagine it must be quite awesome to be able to sit at home, all cozied up, with warm drinks, warm food, a blanket, a good book or TV show, watching the snow fall outside, knowing there is nothing else you need to be doing right now.
Posted by: Karen | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 09:00 PM
LOVE the photos.
You're making me ache for a snow day. Not the kind where I'm inside without power or heat of course, but definitely the kind full of eating, lounging, and tromping through the powder.
Posted by: Ashley, the Accidental Olympian | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 11:36 AM
I love that last picture. I know I said this before, but I am actually jealous of your snow. We got so gyped today it's not even funny. My bitterness knows no bounds.
Posted by: nancypearlwannabe | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Our snow is not picturesque at all, just cold and heavy and wet. And I still have to walk the dog this afternoon. Oy.
Posted by: RA | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 01:55 PM
Holy crap that is so much snow. SO MUCH SNOW.
Posted by: Janssen | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 02:01 PM
So I read your blog many years ago (whilst I was still a good blogger myself) and since I just started blogging again(!)I followed the bread crumbs back here. And man. It is kindof freaking me out. Because I'm reading your blog and we are like.... the same person.
My husbands name is Joel, I am 29, I still feel to young and unprepared for babies but secretly kinda want them, I live in Baltimore, I am a yoga devotee in my mind and make up a zillion excuses not to go in reality and I love sleep.
I also have a cat.
I know some of it is a reach but weird right?!?
Posted by: Ashlie | Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 10:34 AM
Wow, these are some beautiful photos!
Posted by: Kristan | Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 08:19 PM
Okay, well, I hate snow. I'd be happy if I never saw another speck of the stuff again in my lifetime. But these photos are GORGEOUS!!!
Posted by: Angela Noelle | Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 07:47 PM
We even had snow for about 2.5 seconds last week. My little nieces were in town, and it was like Christmas came again. I've never seen children so lit up. The three year old came screeching into the kitchen yelling, "SNOWBALL FIGHT!" at the top of her pint sized lungs!
Posted by: Jemima | Monday, February 22, 2010 at 10:20 AM
I am from MD-born and raised. I am recently a Californian and I know it sounds odd....But I REALLY miss that snow and scenery.
Posted by: A.Epps | Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 12:12 PM