I know you’ve all been dying to know whether my half of the Rainey sisters survived the weekend storm that hit Washington, D.C. (And yes, for those who have asked — I live in the city itself.) The answer is yes, but it was quite a storm. On Saturday, when it was snowing its hardest, I remembered this stanza from Wallace Stevens’s Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird:
It was evening all afternoon.
It was snowing
And it was going to snow.
The blackbirds sat in the cedar-limbs.
Here are some photos I took of our yard, car, etc. That’s my husband shoveling — he was supposed to be bicycling in Tucson this week but his flight has been repeatedly cancelled and pushed back. He’s hoping to leave tomorrow.
1. Care to dine al fresco?
2. Believe it or not, that’s bamboo in the center of the picture. It’s so weighted down by the snow that you can’t tell.
3. This used to be our car.
4. Shoveling.
5. Shoveled.
6. Thor the Wonder Puppy
7. The snow covered our walkway lights. The lighting reminds me of a Maxfield Parrish painting.
Le sigh. We’re supposed to be hit with another 5 inches or more tomorrow evening. Fortunately, I’ve got the essentials: food, wine, and enough yarn.
Coming from Canada, it’s not an unusual sight. Sure is pretty.
Comment by Brenda — February 8, 2010 @ 2:59 pm
Here in Manhattan, although several hours north of you, we were barely touched by snow, but the cold and wind are something fierce. I love your pictures, especially the one with the faery lanterns.
Comment by Katie K — February 8, 2010 @ 3:05 pm
So beautiful! Nothing like 2 feet of snow as an excuse to stay in and knit! Have to say I’m a little jealous!
Comment by Allyson — February 8, 2010 @ 3:35 pm
Love your pictures. Loudoun County already canceled school for the whole week. Soooo…that means 11 straight days of KNITTING! Glad I picked up some extra yarn last Fri.
Comment by Deborah — February 8, 2010 @ 4:39 pm
we’re in the same neck of the woods, along the road to Annapolis. . . . with similar pictures, a larger dog, and the same list of “essentials”! No bamboo, though. I’d be against bamboo. . . . but very much for all things Maxfield Parrish-ey.
By the way, I heard from someone who knows someone, who has it from someone else – on very good authority – that those in the know are thinking we will get a lot more than the single digit numbers they are announcing publicly. . . .
My back hurts just thinking about it.
More wine is clearly called for.
Comment by queenie — February 8, 2010 @ 5:01 pm
Good thing Momma can keep everyone in woolies! Stay warm.
Comment by Mike Smith — February 8, 2010 @ 5:49 pm
Well out here in Tucson, it is cold… to us natives that is. If your DH has never been to Tucson he might want to bring his Spring time clothes as well as a light weight jacket. It still drops 20-30 degrees at night, daytime highs have been a chilly mid 60’s). (is he coming to The Gem & Mineral Show” or Match Play?)
Comment by Tina — February 8, 2010 @ 6:04 pm
We’re looking at the possibility of an additional 15-to-20 inches just north of Baltimore. Enough already!
Comment by Karen — February 8, 2010 @ 6:25 pm
I didn’t realize until just now that you are in the same city as my sister, and I’m in the same city (well, Twin Cities) as yours! As soon as I saw your first photo I thought, “Just like Jan’s deck”. We’re getting our share here, but nothing like what you guys have gotten. Still, time for me to go snowblow the driveway before my DH gets home. Good luck with your second wave!
Comment by twinsetellen — February 8, 2010 @ 6:34 pm
Did your street get plowed? At this point that’s the only thing that matters.
Comment by Libby — February 8, 2010 @ 10:56 pm
That last photo deserves to be printed and framed. It’s stunning!
Stay warm (how could you not with all that wool)!
Comment by rudee — February 8, 2010 @ 11:29 pm
What is amazing, is that you have more snow than Albany NY! We have friends who are military and were stationed at Fort Drum NY (8′ is nothing there) and he was recently posted to the DC area. Oh boy are we teasing him.
Comment by Grtamma Phyl — February 8, 2010 @ 11:37 pm
Thanks for sharing the pics! They are beautiful. Nice poem quote too. Stay warm and dry and be careful of your back when shoveling.
Comment by delores — February 9, 2010 @ 9:30 pm
Snow, Wine and Yarn…sounds like perfect winter weather to me! Enjoy!
Comment by Marie — February 9, 2010 @ 11:34 pm
It looks LOVELY. . . and I don’t envy you one bit! 🙂
Love your list of emergency supplies. I’m with you. Everyone else is getting bread and milk. 🙂
Comment by Mary Lee — February 10, 2010 @ 12:47 pm
Our back yard (on Capitol Hill) looks much the same. We agree with your priorities — have wine and yarn and movies and are planning to settle in until the white stuff stops coming down. Happy knitting!
Comment by Astrid — February 10, 2010 @ 3:28 pm
it looks like you were right about the “and it was going to snow”
have a nice glass of chardonay. knit in front of the fire, if you have one.
Comment by dana — February 10, 2010 @ 3:49 pm
Oh that sure is a pretty site. Looks like one of those old Canadian winters.
Your picture of the walkway is lovely. Its a keeper.
Yes, as long as you have enough wine, food, and yarn, we can weather anything.
Comment by Annie C — February 10, 2010 @ 6:52 pm
you have the essentials covered 🙂
Out here in New England, we’ve been waiting for storm to hit us for three days. So far, only three inches…
Comment by CambriaW — February 11, 2010 @ 9:59 am
You have a lovely home!
Comment by Susan Duncan — February 12, 2010 @ 2:49 am
Wow!! Wallace Stevens’s Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird!! And I thought I couldn’t appreciate this blog any more!
Comment by Kyleb3 — February 12, 2010 @ 1:18 pm