Snowy winter day in western Virginia

 A wintry day in our corner of Augusta County brought between 4-6" of snow and sleet, a mixed bag of winter precipitation with temperatures hovering between 27 and 32 degrees throughout the day. The sleds were retrieved and a track laid out down the hill behind the house and into the woods. As the kids enjoyed their up-the-hill, down-the-hill adventure, I decided to take walk around the yard and into the woods.

 What my snowy trek found was cedar trees whose branches were bowed with snow ...

 ... and under-the-evergreen hiding places to get out of the pelting sleet and wind.

A pine tree that was transplanted as a seedling from my grandfather's land in Grayson County, Virginia, weathered the storm and provided refuge for the birds.

 The sleigh tracks and foot prints led far into the woods.

 The tree swing that normally is surrounded by leafy green trees looked isolated in the cold of this winter day.

 As I entered the woods, SWAC Daughter and SWAC Son-in-Law emerged. Their sled had traveled a long distance, and then they had trekked throughout the woods.

 As the cold north wind picked up, sleet pellets were stinging bare skin as our faces turned red from the cold and precipitation. 

 Under this pile of snow is a Honda Civic so SWAC Daughter decided it needed a smiley face.

 The sleds were lined up and ready for action.

 Snow seems to turn us all into kids again ...

 ... and SWAC Daughter was no exception.

 The snowy back yard leading to the trees that run up to the ridge behind the house. This was my kids' playground as they grew up and even now it's a source of fun for us all. It was nice to have snow when everyone was here for Christmas.


Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
December 26, 2012