White

It has been a white day on our hill, and often very windy.  We’ve had snow falling or blowing or both all day. The ground is white, the air is white, so many shades and densities.  On the ground, the snow is solid, and it reflects whatever light there is. Above it the moving snow is diffuse, pale white against the darker white of the hills in the distance.  Looking west, I can see the dark grey skeletons of the bare trees at the edge of our property on Gulf Road.  Across the road the hillside is nearly invisible, blending into the sky without demarcation.  And then there is a break in the clouds, and detail emerges suddenly, deep green trees on that hillside, the pine boughs capped in pure white snow. As we don’t have to go out in it, it’s just beautiful.  But Dan had a frigid ride on the tractor with the snow blower, clearing the driveway and the path to the barn.  It’s a task for Sisyphus in this wind.

I’ve noticed a surprising change in my behavior.  In Palo Alto I was constantly fussing over clutter, putting things away a little compulsively, okay, more than a little.  But here, I hardly notice clutter – certainly don’t notice it in an annoying way.  I can’t really account for the change, but I wonder if it has something to do with the long views. Perhaps when I can see a long way what’s right in front of me doesn’t matter so much.  Perhaps I’m just more relaxed.

Charlie was desperate to pee this morning and bounded out into the snow before I even cleared a path.  He peed and made a beeline back up the snow covered steps to the house.  But having been out once in the frigid snowy morning, he refused to go out again.  Finally, knowing that he really needed relief, I tucked him inside my coat and took him out to the barn.  There, with a little hay on the floor, sheltered from the wind and snow if not from the cold, he did what a dog needs to do.  It will probably be our solution on snowy days.

In the barn, Charlie and Zen finally came nose to nose, separated only by the lower half of a dutch door.  Zen is true to his name, gentle and perfectly calm, even with Charlie barking and growling.  It will take Charlie a little while to get used to this huge neighbor.

Our new tankless water heater was installed today by a couple of nice young men. It produces plenty of hot water for two simultaneous showers, and it never runs out of hot water, but never heats more than is actually needed.  It’s a nice improvement.

The school bus went by on Scotch Hill Road, which we can see to the east, at 3:26 this afternoon.  It was nice to think of all those kids going home to a weekend.  Our driveway will be grand for sledding when we get kids out for winter visits.

With snow still falling, we’re going to postpone our first visit to the synagogue in Oneonta.  Hoping for better weather next Friday.  Maybe we’ll stream Beth Am tonight.