Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Snow on Snow

Leaving a nearly snowless winter in Missouri, we arrived at our Littleton farm and found it adorned with more than 15 inches of white powder; fortunately, my Tacoma pickup was able to navigate the long, uphill driveway and it was just a short trudge to the backdoor.

Out on our property, Townsend's solitaires, robins and bushtits feasted on juniper berries while chickadees, flickers and house finches moved among the bare deciduous trees, undaunted by the heavy snow. Our resident fox and raccoons may den up for a few days but we'll soon see their tracks across the blanket of white. Down on the South Platte, ducks and geese crowded the river, feeding along and beneath the relatively warm, open waters.

Another cold front passed through Colorado overnight and, though only a dusting was expected, five more inches were left behind. Enjoying a snowy winter landscape for a change, my wife and I took a walk through the residual flurries as the clouds began to dissipate and patches of blue opened above the Front Range. Milder, sunny weather is forecast for the rest of this week and the intense Colorado sun will soon take a toll on our beautiful gift of the season.