Tuesday, February 5, 2008

From Ugly to Pretty, Overnight


It's snowing again! Although I have somewhat mixed feelings about this (yesterday most of the sidewalks were finally dry and ice-free), I have to confess that I was wishing for the snow a bit. Yesterday, and indeed for several days now, all my views have been so ugly, in the way that only Northern urban winter landscapes can be. Grimy piles of snow and ice mixed with road sand. Last fall's unraked leaves and dead grass, revealed by the melting snow, damp and brown and depressing of aspect, and reminding us of tasks left undone. Bits of trash (cigarette butts and the like) which would be swept up at other seasons, lying frozen in place in puddles and gutters. Often a grey, oppressive sky. It was surely in just such a landscape that "California Dreamin'" was written.

Yesterday I had idly wondered whether we would get some more snow to cover this ugliness, but I must not have read the local forecast, because when a wet dog jumped on the bed this morning I assumed it was raining. It was a pleasant surprise to get up and see the trees (and our lions) covered once again in their lacy shawls of snow.

But, it's supposed to change to rain later -- and then in a day or two there is the dreaded prediction "Ice." But for now, my world is pretty again.

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