November 12

At first light the rain began to change over to snow, falling first as large white clumps, laden with moisture and dropping quickly to the ground. Within fifteen minutes the front began to arrive, picking up the wind and causing the temperature to drop a little. The flakes responded, becoming smaller and more numerous, and they fell at an angle in the building breeze.

Soon, the back porch was coated with a white layer, as was the grassy area around the bird feeders in the side yard, save for the paving stones that form a rough path from the porch door to the berm. These remained wet, still holding the latent heat of the Earth to melt the falling snow.

Only the lee side of the trees had grassy areas that were uncovered by snow, and from the sun porch window looking outward in the gloaming morning light, these green patches that matched the trunks looked like shadows cast upon the snowy ground.