Merry Christmas 2008 in never-ending SNOW!

Merry Christmas, 12/25/08. At 10am, it's still all white in the Northwest and David says not to come to Seattle, because the roads are thick with built-up ice and snow. I got a Christmas email from Annie in Saugerties, NY, this morning, and a Madonna and child picture from Patti's blog, her daughter and grandson. When I lived back in the Northeast (most of my life) white was the normal color for a large part of the year, November through April into May in Northern VT. There are many refugees from the Northern tier of the country here in Port Angeles, and we complain about the long time it takes the snow to melt off the roads and the poorly-trained winter drivers from California, but we know that the temperatures will be back to average 40's by the end of the weekend, and the dark gray-green normal-for-us winter colors will be back soon.

This is another shot I took this morning, straight north, down the hill from my house. The gray-blue above my neighbor's house is the Strait of Juan de Fuca, coming right in from the Pacific Ocean, with the white strip being some sun over the low snow-covered hills of Vancouver Island, in Canada. I don't see any big ships out this morning. Now that the leaves are mostly off the willow down the hill in front of the window over my desk, I can see the end of Ediz Hook, that creates the harbor in town. I love driving home from work past the harbor each night, seeing what ships are in. At the west end of town great logs are still being loaded onto huge frieghtors....Hugh just called from Seattle and says to come ahead, so I won't stay home alone today, after all.
Wishing you all much LOVE and Happiness in the coming year and for the holidays. More later!