The Sounds of Winter

I am finally back in Maine after an unexpected and lengthy visit in Connecticut. Winter trips are worrisome, so many things can go wrong at home as the picturesque Holiday season gives way to the harsh bite of winter. While we were away, two storms roared up the east coast dumping over twenty inches of snow in Connecticut closing schools and snarling transportation. We had no idea what awaited us in Maine, but all was as it should be. The house was warm, there were no burst pipes or dripping water from the weight of snow on the roof.

Sleep eluded me last night as I listened to the familiar sounds of winter. Sharp cracks like a rifle's retort pierced the dark; it is the sound of frost heaves. Our back steps are attached by hinges so they will not break apart as the frozen earth buckles. Rain melted enormous icicles which broke apart crashing on the roof like boulders, then skidding down the sharp slopes and landing with a muffled thud in the snow. I still remember my first year in this sturdy old house built in 1890 and how I ran to investigate each crash and boom...and the day I discovered a big dent in my car from falling ice (now parked a safe distance away!) It's snowing again now, perhaps tonight I will hear the reassuring sound of the snow plow passing by.

There was little time for photography. The following images are from the Holiday aftermath and our time in Connecticut.


A personal favorite of Cooper and his gentleman taken after Christmas!


Doxie Mayhem in Connecticut as Cooper learns to hold his own with Olive and Hazel...and he did too!


For a moment, sunlight breaks though the cloud cover and illuminates the trees in the Connecticut winter wonderland.


Trumbull, Connecticut


Light brushing a puff of snow, viewed from the kitchen window. All of the Connecticut photos were taken with my cameraphone. This particular image has been processed with a neat little app called "PicSay" for Android phones.


The Weather Channel referred to the last Connecticut storm as "The Bomb!" Just imagine getting three short little dachshunds and one cranky shih tzu out in twenty inches of snow the next morning! Peter, with the help of a snowblower, deserves a medal of valor! The above photo was taken later in the day when the sun burst through with incredible brilliance.