Thursday, February 11, 2010

The Big One

Much has been made of the weather lately. The local meteorologists have been thrilled to have so much to talk about. First there was the "blizzard" which was more of a dusting. I personally was devastated, as I had been looking forward to a Saturday blanketed with snow. Then there was extreme cold, and then, finally, we got a taste of the violent snowstorm we had been promised.

On Tuesday, as New York City schools closed and various friends began to receive the news that they too would have a snow day, my childlike anticipation only grew. I went to bed smiling, as I was assured to wake up to mounds of freshly driven snow. I suppose, having grown up in a warm climate, I will always look forward to snowstorms in this way, as they are still, to this day, exotic for me.

I nearly leapt from my bed the next day, and was greeted with this sight:

No drifts quite yet, but it was certainly looking promising.

I felt like a lone soldier as I made my way to work...despite the fact that the subways were running and the streets were plowed, people seemed to be hunkering down. As I walked from the subway to my office I was one of a handful of people on the sidewalk, and cabs seemed to be the only vehicles about.

Attendance at work was a bit thin. Understandable of course, as not everyone has as easy a commute as I do. Eventually an early dismissal was called and the siren song of a wintry Central Park became too strong to resist.

Just out of the subway at the southern edge of the park, I was greeted with this softly eerie vista:

I made my way down the stone steps, thankful for my very sturdy hiking boots. They made me much less prone to disastrous slips than my fellow snow bunnies!

I made my way down enchanting paths,

admiring the work of some budding sculptors.

Don't you love the Grecian head gear and the happy countenances?

And then the piece de resistance, the mall. In any season walking through this arboreal archway gives one pause, but in the snow it is particularly breathtaking.

But the light was going, the cold was seeping in and the view wasn't going to get much better. So I hopped on the subway and headed back home, content for the snow continue to fall outside.

13 comments:

karen said...

I've heard it's up to 4 feet of snow out there....do hope you are enjoying it! I say if it has to be winter, it looks so much prettier with the ground covered in lovely white rather than dusty dirty looking gray.
Enjoy your wonderland
xxo

Natasha in Oz said...

These pictures are spectacular! It looks like a magical place to be at the moment.Enjoy!
Best wishes,
Natasha.

Mlle Paradis said...

Great pictures! And the snow-family are delightful!

Dash said...

Laura, we have been seeing lot's of images of "snowmaggedon"on the news coverage, here in Europe. Your pictures of New York in the snow are lovely, stay warm and enjoy.
XX

French Fancy... said...

Our snow has come back to western France over the last few days. I'm not a fan - with the first bout in January I fell over and hurt my arm - this has left me so paranoid now that I have decided to stay indoors until the thaw happens.

Lovely photos - the time I was in New York was the year Christo hung those orange curtains all over Central Park - so that is what I remember when I think of it. They looked like shower curtains!

Laura said...

Maggie's Garden - Well I think 4 feet is probably an overstatement, although I think Washington DC may be far more buried than we are here in New York.

Natasha - The magic is slowly fading as snow turns to slush...

Mlle Paradis - Aren't they? Love how the imagination of my fellow New Yorkers is on display in the storm...

Dash - Perhaps the media is getting a little carried away! We are all fine over here, but then New York has certainly not had the worst of it.

French Fancy - So sorry to hear about your arm! Ah yes, the "saffron" curtains...those were received with decidedly mixed feelings.

Punctuation Mark said...

I know the feeling about snow... it's so beautiful to see everything covered in white... have a nice weekend

Jane said...

Laura your photos are divine. We never get snow in Melbourne and it all looks so magical. Those snow-emperors are very cool too. xoxo

Terry at Blue Kitchen said...

Beautiful photos and story, Laura. Here in Chicago when we got about a foot of snow the other day, my colleagues and I drove 30 miles one way for an 8:30 client meeting. I much prefer the day you had.

Rob M. said...

Was in Philadelphia on Thursday/Friday - tons of snow there too. Reminded me of Montreal.

No snow in Canada this year though!

Laura in Paris said...

Heavy snow indeed! The Paris snow flakes I was proud to show in a past post seem ridiculous compared to this! (LOL)

Angie Muresan said...

I love the photos of the snowy city. Hope you got to enjoy playing in it.

Mothering Mini said...

Catching up on your blog, L. If there was a *like* button for this post, I would click it.

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